Water requirement of cotton (cubic m per ha)

Crop stage	Water requirement
Before flowering	700-800
During flowering	800-1000
During ripening	600-700

Cotton water requirement is about 5000 to 8000 cubic meters during the season for obtaining a normal yield. Reduced water availability due to dry spell has telltale effect on growth and development due to adverse effect on the ongoing physiological processes. Among all critical stages, flowering phase is important as far as effective contribution of developing sink towards yield is concerned.