Crop yields

Aims
The yield of a crop is a measure of the mass of crop produced per unit area of land. The mass is usually
measured in tonnes (1 t = 1000 kg), and the area of land in hectares (1 ha = 10 000 m2). Therefore, crop
yields can be measured in tonnes per hectare (t/ha).
Some crops are genetically modified (GM) to enable them to grow more effectively in an area. For
example, the papaya is a fruit cultivated in Hawaii. A virus, known as papaya ringspot virus (PRV), can
cause the crop to be ruined – up to 80% of affected crops can be lost. Through genetic modification, PRV-
resistant papaya has been developed which minimises crop loss due to this virus.
In this activity you will perform some calculations on the effect of genetic modification on crop yields.

Worked examples
How to calculate a crop yield
1 Identify the mass of crop produced
2 Identify or calculate the area of land used
3 Calculate the crop yield using the formula:

Worked example
A farmer grew parsnips in fields of area 12 hectares (ha). The mass of the crop produced was 216 tonnes
(t). Calculate the crop yield, in t/ha.
Identify the mass of crop produced: 216 t
Identify or calculate the area of land used: 12 ha
Calculate the crop yield using the formula:

crop yield = 18 t/ha

The effect of genetic modification

GM crops can produce greater crop yields than non-GM crops, because they have inbuilt advantages over
the non-GM crop. For example, they may have resistance to frost damage.

How to calculate GM advantages over non-GM crops

1 Calculate or identify the crop yield of the GM crop
2 Calculate or identify the crop yield of the non-GM crop
3 Calculate the percentage increase (or decrease) in yield, using the formula:

Tip – If the value calculated is positive, this shows a percentage increase. If the value calculated is
negative, this shows a percentage decrease.
Worked example
A South African papaya plantation produces a crop yield of 24 tonnes per hectare. A GM variant of this
crop produces a yield of 12 tonnes per acre. Calculate the percentage difference in yield of the GM crop
over the non-GM crop.
1 hectare = 10 000 m2
1 acre = 4000 m2
Calculate or identify the crop yield of the GM crop:
from the data above, 1 hectare = 2.5 acres
GM crop yield = 12 tonnes per acre × 2.5 = 30 t/ha
Tip – Make sure you always work using the same units. In this example the first figure is given in tonnes
per hectare, and the second in tonnes per acre. If required, a conversion figure will be provided.
Calculate or identify the crop yield of the non-GM crop: 24 t/ha
Calculate the percentage increase (or decrease) in yield, using the formula:

percentage change = 25%

The GM crop produces an increased yield of 25% in comparison to the non-GM crop.

Questions
1 The yield of soybeans is 12 t from an area of 4 ha. Calculate the crop yield.

12/4= 3 t/ha (2 marks)

2 An allotment owner cultivates a patch of land 10 m × 10 m, and grows 60 kg
of carrots. (1 t = 1000 kg; 1 ha = 10 000 m2)
Calculate the yield in:
a kg/m2

60/100=0.6kg/m^2 (2 marks)
b t/ha.

0.06/0.01=6 t/ha (1 mark)

3 Calculate the percentage difference in cotton yields from an insect-resistant GM variety compared to a
non-GM crop.
GM crop: yield 67.5 t from 60 ha
Non-GM crop: yield 15 000 kg from 20 ha

67.5/60=1.125= GM yield… 15/20=0.75… 1.125-0.75/0.75=0.5 x100=50%

(3 marks)
4 A pesticide-resistant GM bean crop is trialled in a crop development facility, and
found to offer an increase in yield of 30%. If the non-GM bean crop offered a yield of
9600 kg from a field area of 3 ha, calculate the crop yield of the GM variety.

30/100= 0.30 9600/1000=9.6… 9.6/3=3.2… 0.30x3.2+3.2= 4.16

(3 marks)

Exam-style question
5 A US farmer wishes to evaluate whether or not it is financially viable to plant Bt-corn, a GM crop. She
looks at the following data:

Crop mass Field area Selling price in Crop costs in

Crop type
in kg in ha $ per tonne $ per ha
Bt-corn 12 000 1.0 800
Maize 780
8000 0.8 400
(non-GM corn)

1 tonne = 1000 kg

a i Calculate the crop yield, in tonnes per hectare, of maize. Use the formula:

8/0.8=10

(2 marks)
ii State the crop yield of Bt-corn.

12 (1 mark)
b i Calculate the income generated by 1 ha of maize.

780x10=7800 (1 mark)
ii State the percentage increase of income from planting Bt-corn rather than maize.

27

(2 marks)
c Calculate the difference in profit between two 20-ha farms, one of maize, and the other Bt-corn.

(5 marks)