When losses are reviewed over time and location, it is apparent that progress has been made in the control of cotton diseases. The most striking progress is with those diseases where genetic resistance has been successfully incorporated into commercial varieties. Estimated national disease loss due to bacterial blight has been reduced by 96% from the average loss estimates for the period 1961-65. For this same comparison national loss due to Fusarium wilt has been reduced by 67%, and national loss due to Verticillium wilt has been reduced by 44%. If there is a lesson to be learned, it is that we must continue to incorporate resistance to these diseses in improved varieties, and if we are to continue to make progress in reducing other disease losses, we need to locate and implement host plant resistance programs for these diseases into our breeding populations.