Thesis (Ph.D.) - University of Queensland, 2004. / Includes bibliography.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2004. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 123-133). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (M.S.) University of Missouri-Columbia, 2006. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on August 28, 2007) Includes bibliographical references.

The portfolio model of hedging framework, based off Markowitz (1952), is used to determine the best mix of futures, basis, and option contracts to hedge a soybean purchase from PNW 28 weeks in to the future. Eighteen options are incorporated including in-the-money, at-the-money, and out-of-the-money call and puts with different expiration dates. Futures and option pricing data is extracted from ProphetX from November of 2013 to December of 2016. Expected utility objectives including mean-variance, CVaR, Mean-CVaR, and Mean-CVaR with copula are maximized using linear programming optimization methods. A two stage model is built to simulate hedging scenarios while measuring various statistics. Under high risk aversion, a standard futures hedge performs the best. Buyers with lower risk aversion should explore option strategies. In-the-money calls, collars, strangles, and short butterfly strategies all perform well.

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Experiments were conducted to refine and validate the soybean looper, Chrysodeixis includens (Walker) threshold in Mississippi soybeans, Glycine max. (L.) Merr. Equivalencies between sweep net and drop cloth sampling methods were evaluated, overall the sweep net was more effective at capturing soybean looper larvae greater than third instar and larvae less than or equal to third instar when compared to the drop cloth method. Feeding studies were conducted to determine the feeding rates of each instar, results showed that fifth instar larvae consume the greatest amount of leaf tissue, and larvae greater than or equal to third instar consume more leaf tissue than larvae less than third instar. Observed and expected/predicted defoliation rates were calculated. Observed defoliation was lower than predicted defoliation possibly due to field environmental conditions. Using data in combination with published data from other studies, three prediction models were created for the R3, R5, and R6 growth stage.

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