This document discusses factors that impact plant growth and yields. It provides examples from trials of new tef production techniques in Ethiopia. The key points are: 1) Plants respond to their environment, and yields are determined by a plant's genetics interacting with environmental conditions and management practices. 2) Trials of row planting and transplanting tef in Ethiopia led to average yields that were 70% higher than the national average, showing the potential of these new techniques. 3) The highest yielding trials used transplanting combined with fertilizers tailored for tef, achieving maximum yields over 50% higher than average national production levels.