Are U.S. Corn and Soybeans Becoming More Drought Tolerant?

Thumbnail Image
Date
2009-10-01
Authors
Yu, Tian
Babcock, Bruce
Major Professor
Advisor
Committee Member
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Authors
Person
Babcock, Bruce
Emeritus Professor
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Is Version Of
Versions
Series
Department
Center for Agricultural and Rural Development
Abstract

An objective drought index that measures the dry and hot conditions adversely affecting crop yields is used in a regression analysis to test whether corn and soybeans have become more drought tolerant. Results indicate that corn yield losses from a drought of a given severity, whether measured in quantity terms or as a percentage of mean yield, have decreased over time. The null hypothesis that the absolute level of soybean yield losses due to drought has not changed cannot be rejected. But soybean yield losses in percentage terms have decreased over time. Because drought is the primary cause of yield loss in the U.S. crop insurance program and because U.S. crop insurance rates assume that percentage yield losses are constant over time, these results indicate that U.S. crop insurance rates in the Corn Belt are too high.

Comments
Description
Keywords
Citation
DOI
Source
Copyright
Collections