was exceptionally high in 2001; nonetheless,previous on farm trials that were carried out infewer locations but with the same experimentaldesign showed considerable yield advantagesin earlier seasons, too. Over the 4-yearperiod from 1998 to 2001, Bt hybrids showedan average advantage of 60% (16).Analysis of factors influencing yield impactsof new, effective pest-control technologiessuggests that they depend on local pestpressure and damage, availability of alternativesfor pest control, and farmers’ adoptionof these alternatives (17, 18). Under Indianconditions, bollworms have a high destructivecapacity that is not well controlled inconventional cotton (Fig. 2). On average, pestdamage was about 60% on the conventionaltrial plots in 2001. This result is consistentwith earlier studies by entomologists in India,who found that average pest-related lossesare 50 to 60% (19). In the United States andChina, estimated losses in conventional cottondue to insect pests account for only 12%and 15%, respectively (20), because of lowerpest pressure and higher adoption of pesticides.This explains why yield effects of Bttechnology are smaller in those countries.The higher pesticide adoption in spite oflower pest pressure in the United States andChina is because of more favorable soil andclimatic conditions, and thus higher yieldpotentials. Furthermore, pesticides in Chinahave been subsidized, so they are more affordable(21). Indian farmers, in contrast, are
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