The North Mississippi Delta, especially southeast Missouri, is considered a short-season cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) production area. Planting begins in May with harvest in October (150 + d), but plants and fibers must mature by mid-September (135 d) to produce optimum lint yields and quality fiber. Full-season (‘Stoneville 213’ or ‘Stoneville 825’ and ‘Delcot 311’), intermediate (‘Delcot 344’), short-season (‘Stoneville 506’, ‘Delcot 390’, MO 76-59, and MO1) and ultra short-season (CAMD-E′) cultivars were compared in production systems and short-season field trials from 1980 to 1983 and 1984 to 1986 to determine maturity types best adapted to southeast Missouri environments. The ultra short-season CAMD-E cultivar reached the estimated 60% open boll stage of maturity (MAT 60) 5 to 12 d earlier than the intermediate and full-season cultivars and 1 to 8 d earlier than the short-season genotypes. In the short-season environment, CAMD-E produced 86% of the average lint yields of all short-season cultivars and 81% of full-season cultivars. However, in delayed plantings (mid-May) of 30-in. rows, both full-season Stoneville 213 and ultra short-season CAMD-E produced lower yields than Delcot 344, Stoneville 506, and Delcot 390. The very early and the late maturing cultivars usually do not produce optimum lint yields when grown in the extreme North Delta. Growers should choose cultivar maturity types that best fit their production environment and possess disease resistance, lint quality, and plant characteristics for mechanized production and harvesting. The data support the need for continuous evaluation and development of cultivars for adaptation to southeast Missouri environments.