Degree Name
Master of Science
Department or Program
Agribusiness Economics
Advisor
Dr. Dwight R. Sanders
Abstract
AN ABSTRACT OF THE RESEARCH PAPER OF
Curtis Ramsey, for the Master of Science degree in Agribusiness Economics, presented on May 2nd, 2018 at Southern Illinois University Carbondale.
TITLE: FACTORS AFFECTING U.S. SORGHUM YIELDS
MAJOR PROFESSOR: Dr. Dwight R. Sanders
Sorghum productivity is an interesting topic in U.S. agriculture. Sorghum continues to grow as an export for the U.S., but its’ overall production is decreasing yearly. However, the average yield per acre of sorghum is on the rise. The various uses for sorghum make it an essential grain worldwide and in the U.S. The research acquired for this analysis is used to see exactly how influential weather variables are on sorghum yields. U.S. precipitation and climate conditions during the sorghum growing season will be key variables measured in the study, and the tests ran for this study will show what level of significance weather variables play on the decrease in U.S. sorghum production. Specifically, the average temperature of the northern and southern plains from May through September, and the average precipitation for the northern and southern plains are the independent variables used in the regression. Also, a secondary test on silage sorghum will be ran to see if it experiences the same effects as grain sorghum. The weather data was obtained by regional grouping of the major sorghum growing states along the sorghum belt from South Dakota down to southern Texas. A multiple regression analysis will be used to help exploit the elements of production that are most influential for the sinking sorghum production. Also, this study involves tests to see if there were any indirect effects from the price per bushel for sorghum and its’ competing crops, such as soybeans, wheat, and corn. Lastly, this paper addresses issues with separate tests in order to help provide a specific analysis on how to improve the study and improve sorghum production.