Drought Analysis of Wheat in Humid (Wales) and Dry (Iraq) Conditions

Abstract

It is necessity to examine the relationships between droughts and plant yields, which are affected by climate change. In this study, by choosing sample countries from the Middle East and Northern Europe, It was aimed to determine the relationship between wheat yields and drought. Considering that Wales represents the wet conditions and Iraq represents the dry conditions in the World, in this study, the drought conditions of these two countries were analyzed with standard precipitation index (SPI), standard runoff index (SRI) and palmer drought severity index (PDSI). In Cardiff, it was determined that the meteorological humidity increased and there is a normal climate in terms of hydrologic. This led to an increase in wheat yields. In terms of meteorologic drought, Iraq cities from arid to humid are Kirkuk, Mosul, Baghdad and Basra, respectively. Agriculturally, they are listed as Basra, Baghdad and Mosul, respectively. It was determined that wheat yield decreases in Iraq were caused by non-climatic factors. Generally, it was determined that drought periods spread homogenously throughout Iraq. Nevertheless, It is determined that drought is much more widespread and severe in Iraq in 2003, 2004 and 1964. In future dry years, production should be supported with irrigation and fertilization in Wales and Iraq.