The effect of mechanical delinting intensity on cotton seed germination, vigor and storability has been tested. An IAC-17 cultivar seed lot has been subjected to five mechanical delinting intensities. Submitted seed samples have been drawn from the seed lot before and after the mechanical delinting treatment. For every seed sample tested, initial germination, vigor and 10 month - germination values have been recorded. Mechanical delinting treatments have not signifïcantly affected initial germination values. However, deleterious effects on vigor and on germination after a 10 month storage period has been observed. The higher the delinting intensity used, the worst the recorded deleterious effects.