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Fungicides aid in stand establishment since acid delinting results in cracks in the seed coat, giving disease organisms an entry point into the germinating seed. After ginning and acid delinting, seed are treated with fungicide prior to planting. Each fiber is a single cell that elongates until cotton is ready for harvest. Prior to ginning and delinting, the top layer of the seed coat has two types of fiber: long lint fiber and short linters. Seeds consist of two cotyledons and an embryo. High quality seed for planting is key to obtaining good stands of cotton plants. An average daily growth rate for the roots of ½ inch may occur until first flower (50–60 days), when root growth begins to level off and then decline starting about 90 days after planting. However, cotton is considered drought tolerant because of its extensive root system and its ability to set fruit over an eight week period (July and August). Very little growth takes place below 60☏ or above 100☏, especially if soil moisture is low. Air temperatures in the 90☏–95☏ range are considered near optimum for growth. In Florida and across the US Cotton Belt, cotton is grown as an annual and attains a height of 2–5 feet or more when growth regulators are used for height control for better in season and harvest management. Seasonal Development of the Cotton PlantĬotton is a perennial plant in many parts of the tropics and subtropics, where it may reach a height of 15–20 feet. This publication provides basic information for understanding how a cotton plant develops and some of the factors that can alter the pattern of development. Management of cotton requires an understanding of the growth habit and responses of the plant to the environment and to the management used.