Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-v9fdk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-19T05:41:42.845Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Nitrogen-Fixing Winter Cover Crops and Production Risk: A Case Study for No-Tillage Corn

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 April 2015

James A. Larson ,
Roland K. Roberts ,
Donald D. Tyler ,
Bob N. Duck  and
Stephen P. Slinsky
James A. Larson
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Roland K. Roberts
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Donald D. Tyler
Affiliation:
The University of Tennessee, West Tennessee Experiment Station, Jackson
Bob N. Duck
Affiliation:
Plant and soil science, The University of Tennessee, Martin
Stephen P. Slinsky
Affiliation:
Agricultural Policy Analysis Center, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Winter legumes can substitute for applied nitrogen fertilization of corn. Stochastic dominance was used to order net revenues from legume and applied nitrogen alternatives. Stochastic dominance orderings indicate that systems combining vetch with low applied nitrogen fertilization (50 and 100 pounds/acre, respectively) were risk inefficient. By contrast, vetch and 150 pounds/acre applied nitrogen maximized expected net revenue and was risk efficient for a wide range of risk-averse and risk-seeking behavior. Farmers with these risk attitudes may not reduce applied nitrogen if they switch to a vetch cover. Extremely risk-averse or risk-seeking farmers would not prefer winter legumes.

Keywords

legume winter cropsnitrogenrisk premiumsstochastic dominance
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Agricultural and Applied Economics , Volume 30 , Issue 1 , July 1998 , pp. 163 - 174
Copyright
Copyright © Southern Agricultural Economics Association 1998

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bradley, J.F., and Tyler, D.D.. “No-Till: Sparing the Plow to Save the Soil.” Tennessee Agri-Science 179(1996):7–11.Google Scholar
Choi, E.K., and Feinerman, E.. “Regulation of Nitrogen Pollution: Taxes vs. Quotas.” J. Agr. and Resour. Econ. 20(July 1995):122-34.Google Scholar
Chowdhury, M.E., and Lacewell, R.D.. “Implications of Alternative Policies on Nitrate Contamination of Groundwater.” J. Agr. and Resour. Econ. 21(July 1996):82–95.Google Scholar
Cochran, M.J., and Raskin, R.. “A User's Guide to the Generalized Stochastic Dominance Program for the IBM PC Version GSD 2.1.” Pub. No. SPO688, Dept. Agr. Econ. and Rural Soc, University of Arkansas, April 1988.Google Scholar
Congress of the U.S., Council of Economic Advisors. Economic Report of the President. Washington DC: U.S. Government Printing Office, February 1997.Google Scholar
Decker, A.M., Clark, A.J., Meisinger, J.J., Mulford, F.R., and Mcintosh, M.S.. “Legume Cover Crop Contribution to No-Tillage Corn Production.” Agronomy J. 86(1994):126-35.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Duck, B.N., and Tyler, D.D.. “No-Till Winter Cover Crops: Management and Production.” Tennessee Agri-Science 179(1996):12–16.Google Scholar
Ebelhar, S.A., Frye, W.W., and Blevins, R.L.. “Nitrogen from Legume Crops for No-Tillage Corn.” Agronomy J. 76(1984):51–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Giesler, G.G., Paxton, K.W., and Millhollon, E.P.. “A GSD Estimation of the Relative Worth of Cover Crops in Cotton Production Systems.” J. Agr. and Resour. Econ. 18(July 1993):47–56.Google Scholar
Goh, S., Shih, C., Cochran, M.J., and Raskin, R.. “A Generalized Stochastic Dominance Program for the IBM PC.” S. J. Agr. Econ. 21(July 1989):175-82.Google Scholar
Grube, A.H. “Participation in Farm Commodity Programs: A Stochastic Dominance Analysis: Comment.” Amer. J. Agr. Econ. 68(1986):185-88.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holderbaum, J.F., Decker, A.M., Meisinger, J.J., Mulford, F.R., and Vough, L.R.. “Fall Seeded Legume Cover Crops for No-Tillage Corn in the Humid East.” Agronomy J. 82(1990):117-24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Huang, W, Shank, D., and Hewitt, T.. “On-Farm Costs of Reducing Residual Nitrogen on Cropland Vulnerable to Nitrate Leaching.” Rev. Agr. Econ. 18(1996):1–15.Google Scholar
Keeney, D.R., and Follett, R.F.. “Managing Nitrogen for Groundwater Quality and Farm Profitability: Overview and Introduction.” In Managing Nitrogen for Groundwater Quality and Farm Profitability, eds., Follett, R.F., Keeney, D.R., and Cruse, R.M., pp. 1–7. Madison WI: Soil Science Society of America, 1991.Google Scholar
McCarl, B.A. “Generalized Stochastic Dominance: An Empirical Examination.” S. J. Agr. Econ. 22(July 1990):49–55.Google Scholar
McCarl, B.A. “Riskroot Program Documentation.” Unpub. manu., Dept. Agr. Econ., Texas A&M University, College Station, 1988. [Computer program and documentation available online at: http://agrinet.tamu.edu/mccarl.]Google Scholar
Meisinger, J.J., Hargrove, W.L., Mikkelsen, R.L., Williams, J.R., and Benson, V.W.. “Effects of Cover Crops on Groundwater Quality.” In Cover Crops for Clean Water, ed., Hargrove, W.L., pp. 57–68. Ankeny IA: Soil and Water Conservation Society, 1991.Google Scholar
Meyer, J. “Choice Among Distributions.” J. Econ. Theory 14(1977):326-36.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Raskin, R., and Cochran, M.J.. “Interpretations and Transformations of Scale for the Pratt-Arrow Absolute Risk-Aversion Coefficient: Implications for Generalized Stochastic Dominance.” West. J. Agr. Econ. 11(December 1986):204-10.Google Scholar
Reeves, D.W., Wood, C.W., and Touchton, J.T.. “Timing of Nitrogen Applications for Corn in a Winter Legume Conservation-Tillage System.” Agronomy J. 85(1993):98–106.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Robison, L.J., Barry, P.J., Kliebenstein, J.B., and Patrick, G.F.. “ Risk Attitudes: Concepts and Measurement Approaches.” In Risk Management in Agriculture, ed., Barry, P.J., pp. 11–30. Ames IA: Iowa State University Press, 1984.Google Scholar
Slinsky, S.P., Ray, D.E., De La Torre Ugarte, D.G.. “The APAC Budgeting System: A User's Manual.” Unpub. manu., Agricultural Policy Analysis Center, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, 1996.Google Scholar
Tennessee Department of Agriculture. Tennessee Agriculture 1995. Nashville TN: Tennessee Agricultural Statistics Service, 1996.Google Scholar
Tyler, D.D., Wilson, G.V., Logan, J., Thomas, G.W., Blevins, R.L., Caldwell, W.E., and Dravillis, M.. “Tillage and Cover Crop Effects on Nitrogen Leaching.” In Proceedings of the 1992 Southern Conservation Tillage Conference, eds., Mullen, M.D. and Duck, B.N., pp. 1–5. Special Pub. No. 92-01, Tennessee Agr. Exp. Sta., The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, July 1992.Google Scholar