Toward Intelligent Agriculture: Quantifying the Impact of Key Agronomic Factors on Wheat Production in Pakistan

Food security remains a critical global concern. The rising world population has led to a continuous increase in food demand. Wheat serves as a primary dietary component and its enhanced production is essential to mitigate the food availability challenge, especially in countries like Pakistan. The current study employs descriptive statistical analysis to explore and quantify the impact of various agronomic and input related factors on wheat production. The objective is to identify optimal levels of individual factors aiming to attain the intelligent agriculture practices that significantly contribute to yield improvement. Certified seed increases wheat yield by 25% compared to home-retained seed. A seed rate of 60 kg per acre, adopted by 48.3% of the farmers, is associated with improved productivity. Sowing wheat by mid-November ensures consistently higher yields. The use of 1 to 2 bags of DAP and 2 to 3 bags of urea per acre is associated with maximum yield gains. The use of other fertilizers contributes to a 12.02% increase in production. Pesticide applications for weed control are linked with a 17.11% enhancement in yield. Ploughing/rotavator operations demonstrate a positively increasing trend in yield. Wheat sown after cotton or sugarcane produced better wheat productivity. These findings highlight the critical role of agronomic practices and input management in achieving food security through increased wheat production. Policymakers and agricultural extension services should emphasize these statistically significant factors to support evidence based decision making among farmers. This study promotes intelligent agriculture practices and supports informed decisions for food sustainability.