The study looked at how the variability in yearly crop yields affects the gap between what farmers actually produce and what they could potentially achieve. They analyzed data from wheat and maize crops at ten different sites around the world. The researchers found that the size of the yield gap was not related to how much yields varied from year to year, but rather to the resources available to farmers like labor and fertilizer. In Africa, farmers only reached 20% of their potential yield, while in Europe, Asia, and North America, they reached 56-84%. The study also showed that when crops had the potential for higher yields in a specific season, the yield gap was larger. This suggests that farmers struggle to take advantage of good weather conditions. To reduce these yield gaps, farmers would need reliable seasonal weather forecasts to help them make the most of each growing season.