Boll factors provide an indication of how many bolls/m are required to produce 1.0 bale/ha; and are also a good indication of the comparative boll weights between varieties.

If everything else is equal, a variety with a lower boll factor will achieve a higher yield than a variety with a larger boll factor with the same boll counts. Additionally, there are regional, seasonal and stress related impacts which can alter the relative boll factors.