To address the problems of water shortage and water inefficiency in cotton field production in the Alashan region of In-ner Mongolia.Trace irrigation was used,and it was proposed to reveal the response mechanisms of cotton growth and development and water use efficiency to field water supply methods under trace irrigation.[Method]The effect of trace irrigation on the vigour and biomass accumulation of cotton roots was investigated in a field plot experiment with different burial depths and water volumes.[Result] Cotton root biomass showed an"S"type curve continuous growth;from the seedling stage to the spatulation stage,cotton root biomass showed an increase trend.The trace irri-gation treatments all increased the root vigour of cotton compared with the sub-membrane drip irrigation (CK) treatment.T1 treatment had the highest root vigour,which helped to promote root undergrowth and create a reasonable root structure.[Conclusion]The bud stage and flowering and boll stage are the rapid growth periods of plants,and irrigation water supply is the key to growth water consumption during supporting peri-od.