A geostatistical analysis of soil salinity and its impact on wheat yield in Gujranwala District

Abstract

This study applies geostatistical analysis to examine how soil salinity affects wheat yield in the Gujranwala area in the context of changing rainfall patterns and climate change. The goal of the research is to determine the geographical and temporal patterns of soil salinity and how they affect agricultural productivity, with a particular emphasis on wheat cultivation. Despite the use of comprehensive geostatistical techniques and statistical analysis, the study finds a strong negative relationship between wheat production and soil salinity as determined by electrical conductivity (EC). As geostatistical techniques such as Linear Regression Rate (LLR) assess the influence of soil salinity on wheat yield, Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW) examines the distribution of salt in the soil. Finding hotspots for extremely salinized soil emphasizes the need for precise controls and thoughtful land management. Increasing soil salinity monitoring, encouraging targeted irrigation, looking into crops that can withstand salt, enhancing drainage, and teaching farmers how to manage soil salinity are some of the recommendations. This geostatistical analysis concludes that there is a notable negative link between Gujranwala wheat yield and soil salinity, which offers important information to land managers, policymakers, and agricultural experts. Understanding soil salinity dynamics enables proactive measures to enhance agricultural output.