The optimal plant population for cotton is wide range but generally agreed upon to be 30,000 to 60,000 plants per acre in 30 to 40 inch rows. The reason for the wide range is that cotton is a perennial shrub that can acclimate itself to varying populations. Additionally, different varieties have different plant architectures and some adapt well to lower populations than others. However, lower plant populations are later to mature because more bolls are produced on outer positions as well as vegetative branches. Therefore, lower plant populations are usually discouraged as you move north in the Cotton Belt. Because of the well-established effect of plant population on crop maturity, the target population can be viewed as a means of managing maturity.

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