¶ … European Corn Borer affect the yield of corn? Experiment 1-140 days

Chamber 1 -- BT 123 Corn, no infestation

Plate 1 -- 160.1 g

Plate 2 -- 164.8 g

Plate 3 -- 164.2 g

Chamber 2 -- BT 123 Corn, low infestation

Plate 1 -- 164.0 g

Plate 2 -- 162.6 g

Plate 3 -- 168.3 g

Experiment 2 -- 140 days

Chamber 1 -- BT 123 Corn, no infestation

Plate 1 -- 160.1 g

Plate 2 -- 164.8 g

Plate 3 -- 164.2 g

Chamber 2 -- BT 123 Corn, high infestation

Plate 1 -- 155.1 g

Plate 2 -- 163.0 g

Plate 3 -- 163.9 g

Experiment 3 -- 140 days

Chamber 1 -- Golden crop (non-BT crop), no infestation

Plate 1 -- 181.6 g

Plate 2 -- 182.8 g

Plate 3 -- 189.8 g

Chamber 2 -- Golden crop (non-BT crop), high infestation

Plate 1 -- 135.4 g

Plate 2 -- 139.6 g

Plate 3 -- 138.3 g

Table 1 -- Data from experiments none low high

Golden Crop

none

Golden Crop

high

Describe the effects of the ECB infestations you used. Were all corn varieties equally effective at controlling the ECB? How do you know?

ECB infestations were conducted in two different...

Both types of crops were subjected to no infestations and high infestations. Both types of crop yielded different results. The BT crop was named for the fact that the soil it was planted on would have the bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt), while the golden crops did not have BT. Of those denominations, the corn crop was further broken down to BT 123 and BT 456, as well as the golden and super-harvest crops. Of the set of experiments performed, those of the BT corn variation fared better in both doses of high and low concentrations of ECB infection. Conversely, the non-BT crops were significantly affected after high doses of ECB infection, yielding an average of about 75% of its normal yield. The bacteria found in the BT crops aid in ECB defense.
2. If there was no ECB infestation in a certain year, would a farmer gain or lose financially by planting Bt corn? Explain why.

Without ECB, the golden and super-harvest crops would flourish much more effectively than the BT crops. Because of the bacteria found in the BT plants, the growth is limited, with a difference of at least 20 grams in mass. On average (without ECB), a BT 123 plant would yield 163 grams per ear of corn; whereas on average (without ECB), a non-BT Golden crop would yield 184.7 grams per ear of corn. The difference is about 12%, and thus the farmer would financially lose 12% of profits…