The amount and quality of cotton (Gossypium spp.) produced within a growing season is the result of many factors, but the influence of genotype is substantial. The objective of this study was to determine how growing location, fruiting behavior, and cultivars interact to produce a cotton crop. Five commercial cultivars were studied at multiple locations in Texas and Virginia. Plant height, first sympodia, and number of sympodia were measured. Plants were harvested by fruiting zone and lint yield, lint percent, seed weight, and high-volume instrumentation (HVI) fiber data were ascertained. Results indicate that cultivar had a significant effect on plant height and fruiting habit, but year also significantly affected traits measured. In addition, lint yield, lint percent, seed weight, and fiber traits were significantly affected by fruiting zone at most locations and years. It was determined that relative differences among cultivars remained constant across growing locations for plant morphology and fiber traits. Differences in lint yield per fruiting zone were not distinguishable.
