Bacterial blight of cotton caused byXanthomonas campestrispv.malvacearumoccurs in most countries where the crop is grown. Once a serious disease, it has been successfully controlled in many African countries, including Zimbabwe, through the use of resistant varieties. However, as new cultivars are produced to meet the changing requirements of the spinning industry, there is a constant need for rigorous screening for blight resistance. In Zimbabwe, severe blight symptoms have occurred in selections derived from crosses with high quality introductions. This has emphasized the potential importance of the disease in susceptible cultivars and reaffirmed the commitment to regular screening for resistance in the country's cotton breeding programme. The paper describes the historical background to the production of blight resistant cottons in Zimbabwe and gives methods currently employed in screening for blight resistance.