Abstract
Mississippi State is renowned for its land resource areas (LRA) and production of bioenergy crops which generate both agricultural and economic benefits. Agricultural commodities play a key role in economic growth, therefore the ability to produce more would enhance development. This paper offers an analysis of the production of bioenergy crops in Mississippi. Relative measures, time series graphs and descriptive statistics coupled with geographic information systems (GIS) mapping using ArcMap were employed to generate the outcome of this research. The outcome of the statistical analysis indicated that corn and soybeans were the most produced crops in Agricultural Districts 10 and 40. These districts produced more bioenergy crops than the other districts. GIS mapping results also showed that the potential area for bioenergy crops is in zone 131 of the Mississippi Land Resource Area (MLRA). This zone has an absolute advantage in the production of these crops which includes the diversity of biomass production such as corn, cotton, soybeans, wheat, rice, barley, grain sorghum, canola, camelina, algae, hardwoods, and softwood. The paper recommends a constant GIS mapping and land management systems for each agricultural district in Mississippi to enable researchers and farmers to determine the factors which contribute towards the increasing and decreasing trends in the production of the bioenergy crops.
Highlights
The concept of bioenergy is defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as all forms of energy extracted from biofuels [1]
This paper offers an analysis of the production of bioenergy crops in Mississippi
Geology, climate, water resources, land use and crop output, the 28county Mississippi Delta region represents a contiguous biomass production area covering over 10 million acres (15,624.9 square miles)
Summary
The concept of bioenergy is defined by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations as all forms of energy extracted from biofuels [1]. Fuel made from plants such as wheat, corn, soybeans, and sugarcane has gained worldwide attention in recent years Fuels from these plants have been identified as being among the cleanest energy sources due to the minimal impact the products of their oxidation have on the environment. The need to reduce the impact of energy use on climate and provide an environmentally sustainable energy source, while stimulating rural development has played a major role in the shift to promoting the production of bioenergy crops. 131A, MLRA 134 and other MLRA areas in the south of the Gulf Coast and east bordering Alabama (Figure 1); [15] [16] These divisions are characterized by or based on particular patterns of soils, geology, climate, water resources and land use [17]. Major crops in this area are cotton, corn, wheat, rice, grain, sorghum, soybeans, and sugarcane
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