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We conduct a multiple regression analysis of the main climatic determinants of rain fed cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) yields for an experimental plot located in Mali, West Africa. The use of daily climatic data allows us to explicitly examine the role of cumulative precipitation, the length of the rainy season, the number of dry spells, the flooding periods, temperature, and solar radiation in determining annual cotton production, and the results of our analysis confirms their importance. In general our findings are in line with the current agronomic literature. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.