the relative yield potentials of surface (sd) and buried (bd) methods of drip irrigation and furrow irrigation (f) of cotton were compared over four seasons. drip-irrigated treatments were maintained at a deficit of 45 mm below the fully-irrigated soil water content, while f was irrigated when the deficit reached about 90 mm. nitrogen fertilizer was applied weekly to drip-irrigated treatments during irrigation over the first half of the season and to f as one application before sowing. emergence of cotton was slower in a sd system than for bd or f. this delay was associated with slower sorption of water from sd laterals in the furrow to seeds sown in the top of ridges. in two seasons there was heavier yield from sd and bd irrigation than from f; in one season the yields were the same; and in one season there was a small reduction in yield with drip irrigation. the relative yield of each treatment was maintained at all positions along the 200 m length of field. fibre length and strength were generally not affected by method of irrigation additional study results are discussed. (edited author abstract) 20 refs