This paper is relevant to the impact areas in the following areas:
| Crops | Maize |
| Traits | Insect Res. (BT), Insect Resistance |
| Countries | US |
| Regions | North America |
| Tags | maize, US, yield |
Biotechnology and genetically engineered (GE) crops are parts of the current wave of agricultural technological change. We analyze grain yield data from annual field experiments conducted from 1990 to 2010 in Wisconsin to test hypotheses that GE maize has greater productivity (as measured by the mean harvested yield) and lower production risk (as measured by the variance, skewness and kurtosis of harvested yield). Compared to conventional hybrids, the impact of GE traits (both single and stacked traits) on mean yield ranges from -12.2 to +6.5 bushels per acre. It shows that reducing yield risk is an important source of benefits from GE technology, especially for the stacked traits. These risk benefits are estimated to be equivalent to a yield increase ranging from 0.8 to 4.2 bushels per acre. Evidence was found for gene interactions (“yield drag” and “event lag” effects) that can reduce yield.
Commercialized transgenic traits, maize productivity and yield risk (held on an external server, and so may require additional authentication details)
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