Geographically and phenotypically diverse 860 G. hirsutum germplasm lines were evaluated under North Zone irrigated conditions of India during 2011-12 and 2012-13 for a different flower retention period, seed cotton yield and other desirable traits. The accessions initiate flowering at 60 days were having maturity period below 150 days, horizontal width less than 40 cm, hence showed suitability for high density cropping system (HDPS) for productivity enhancement. The accessions which flowers at 80 days are found to be semi spreading in nature. Accessions which flower around at 100 days, showed the maturity period below 180 days with horizontal width between 50 and 90 cm. Among all, the accessions which flower at 60 days was considered fit for the regions in the world having the climatic condition similar to North Zone of India. These accessions require less crop production and protection inputs than long duration cultivars, hence enhance benefit cost ratio. These also provide opportunity to include another short duration crop in the current cropping system. Further crop improvement programmes should be concentrated to develop early maturing cultivars suitable for HDPS.

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