A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of chemical defoliation on growth parameters, seed cotton yield and fibre quality of cotton under high density planting during kharif, 2023. Defoliation with Etherel @ 3000 ppm + Sodium chlorate @0.9 % at 50 per cent boll opening stage resulted in higher number of bolls per square meter and boll weight (g) and seed cotton yield (1376 kg ha-1). Etherel @ 3000 ppm + Sodium chlorate @0.9 % at 50 per cent boll opening stage recorded significantly higher leaf defoliation (98.33 %) after 10 days after spray and was superior over other defoliants tried. In all the treatments net returns (Rs. /ha) was maximum in T10-T3+Diuron@400 ppm (Rs.89492) which is as par with T3-Thidiazuron@500 ppm (Rs.86498).