Energy Analysis and Agriculture, An Application to U.S. Corn Production
研究了美国玉米生产中直接和间接能源使用效率的变化，发现过去二十年能源使用与产量关系保持恒定，并预测1980年代节能措施将提升效率。
Changes in farming technology have increased the amount and cost of energy used in crop production, raising the question of whether energy efficiency in agriculture has remained constant, decreased, or increased. Despite some studies to the contrary, the authors assert that all essential energy used, both directly and indirectly, in US corn farming has remained constant in relation to crop production during the past two decades. Using a detailed process of energy analysis that takes into account various management and technological changes, they trace and quantify the energy cost of corn production from 1945-1947 and forecast its changes through 1984. They conclude that the energy efficiency of corn farming has not declined, and find that future technological and process improvements, led by conservation measures, will likely increase its energy efficiency in the 1980s. 39 references, 33 figures, 88 tables.