The topic of this presentation is cotton plant monitoring, a subject that has been discussed for several years by researchers, extension specialists and county agents. There are several other speakers in today's session that will comment on monitoring specifics in their respective regions and disciplines. I would like to concentrate on the basics of plant monitoring, techniques used to monitor the crop's development and several useful relationships that help evaluate that development. First and foremost, I want to emphasize that plant monitoring is a user-friendly investment in profitability.