Similarly, analysis from up to 23 Pilot Phase studies (Table 2) indicated that the three GM maize hybrids were not statistically different from the control for seedling vigor, early stand count, days-to-silking, days-to-anthesis, plant height, root lodging, stalk lodging, or final stand count (Fig. 2, bottom), confirming agronomic equivalence in key phenotypic and agronomic characteristics. Statistically significant differences between MON-89Ø34-3 × MON-88Ø17-3 and MON-89Ø34-3 × MON-ØØ6Ø3-6 GM maize hybrids and the conventional control (p ≤ 0.05) were detected for grain yield and grain moisture (Table 2). Higher grain moisture at harvest and higher grain yield were likely due to overall better plant health throughout the crop season, as a result of protection from target insect pests and better weed control through use of broad-spectrum herbicide applications. Regression analyses of these two hybrids indicated that in most cases they had greater yield than the conventional control hybrids across the Experimental and Pilot Phase studies (Supplementary Fig. 1). Furthermore, according to this analysis, growers would benefit from the use of IR/HT GM hybrids under conditions with relatively low yield potential. The average difference of 1.18 t ha−1 between GM IR maize hybrids and the conventional (non-GM) control, which was obtained using best regional management practices across the Experimental and Pilot studies, could represent a substantial increase in maize production in the northern states of Mexico.