The Effect of Climatic Factors on The Cultivation of My Crops (Wheat and Barley) in The Salahiyah District

Climate represents a critical determinant of agricultural productivity, particularly for strategic field crops such as wheat and barley in arid and semi-arid regions. Despite the importance of these crops in Iraq, empirical studies that quantitatively link long-term climatic variability with crop productivity at the district level remain limited, creating a clear knowledge gap in localized climate–agriculture assessments. This study addresses this gap by analyzing climatic data from the Diwaniyah Meteorological Station and agricultural production records for the Salahiyah District over the period 1995–2022. An analytical–descriptive approach was applied, combining descriptive statistics and Pearson correlation analysis to examine relationships between key climatic elements—sunshine duration, temperature, rainfall, wind speed, relative humidity, and evaporation—and wheat and barley yields. The findings reveal that relative humidity and rainfall exhibit positive correlations with crop productivity, while high temperatures, excessive sunshine, and increased evaporation show inverse effects, particularly on barley yields. The results indicate that the study area generally possesses suitable climatic conditions for wheat and barley cultivation, although water scarcity necessitates effective irrigation management. These findings imply that aligning planting schedules, crop selection, and water management strategies with local climatic conditions can enhance productivity and support sustainable agricultural planning under increasing climatic variability