Abstract:Based on climate observation data from 105 national meteorological stations in Xinjiang during 1991-2020 under the new climatic normals, this study employed a GIS-based spatial fine-grid interpolation model to analyze the spatial distribution of key climatic factors influencing cotton growth, including ≥10℃ accumulated temperature, frost-free period, and July mean temperature. By integrating the climate suitability zoning index system for cotton varieties with different maturity groups and applying spatial overlay analysis, we classified the cotton cultivation regions in Xinjiang into five climate suitability categories: The mid-maturing cotton zone, predominantly concentrated in the Turpan and Hami basins of the eastern Tianshan Mountains; The early-mid-maturing cotton zone, mainly distributed along the northern, northwestern, western, and southwestern margins of the Tarim Basin; The early-maturing cotton zone, primarily located in the piedmont sloping plains south of the Gurbantünggüt Desert and the southern margin of the Junggar Basin, extending to the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains; The ultra-early-maturing cotton zone, distributed across the Ili River Valley, Tacheng Basin, Yanqi Basin, and parts of the Bortala Mongol Autonomous Prefecture and Kizilsu Kirghiz Autonomous Prefecture; The non-suitable cotton zone, extensively covering the Altai, Tianshan, and Kunlun Mountains and their high-altitude, high-latitude foothills. This zoning framework provides a scientific basis for optimizing cotton production layout in Xinjiang, facilitating the concentration of cotton cultivation in advantageous regions, while offering climatological support for scientific planning of coordinated grain-cotton development.