West Jaintia Hills

• Nitrogen

  From 4,988 soil tests

  Okay
  Low 29% Medium 71%

  3 in 10 soil tests here came out low

  If your field is low: add about a quarter more urea than the usual dose, in two or three splits. A pulse crop in rotation also adds nitrogen.

  What this means

  Grows leaves and stems. Short soil gives pale, yellow leaves.

  Low under 280 kg/ha Medium 280–560 kg/ha High over 560 kg/ha

  Healthy soil has 280 kg/ha or more.

  Compared with the wider area

  Place	Low	Medium	High
  Here	29%	71%	0%
  Meghalaya	40%	59%	1%
  India	65%	29%	6%

• Phosphorus

  From 4,991 soil tests

  Okay
  Low 31% Medium 38% High 32%

  3 in 10 soil tests here came out low

  If your field is low: add about a quarter more DAP or single super phosphate than the usual dose, at sowing.

  What this means

  Builds roots and helps the crop flower and fill grain.

  Low under 10 kg/ha Medium 10–25 kg/ha High over 25 kg/ha

  Healthy soil has 10 kg/ha or more.

  Compared with the wider area

  Place	Low	Medium	High
  Here	31%	38%	32%
  Meghalaya	36%	43%	21%
  India	13%	41%	45%

• Potassium

  From 4,991 soil tests

  Good
  Low 7% Medium 83% High 10%

  1 in 10 soil tests here came out low

  What this means

  Fills grain and fruit, and helps crops stand drought and disease.

  Low under 110 kg/ha Medium 110–280 kg/ha High over 280 kg/ha

  Healthy soil has 110 kg/ha or more.

  Compared with the wider area

  Place	Low	Medium	High
  Here	7%	83%	10%
  Meghalaya	18%	67%	15%
  India	14%	53%	33%

• Organic carbon

  From 4,982 soil tests

  Good
  Low 5% Medium 5% High 90%

  Most soil tests here came out high

  What this means

  Shows how much organic matter the soil has. It keeps soil loose, holds water and feeds the crop slowly.

  Low under 0.5% Medium 0.5–0.75% High over 0.75%

  Healthy soil has 0.5% or more.

  Compared with the wider area

  Place	Low	Medium	High
  Here	5%	5%	90%
  Meghalaya	3%	11%	86%
  India	49%	28%	23%

• pH

  From 4,979 soil tests

  Poor
  Acidic 91% Neutral 9%

  9 in 10 soil tests here came out acidic

  If your field is acidic: add agricultural lime before sowing. A soil lab works out how much your field needs.

  What this means

  How sour (acidic) or alkaline the soil is. It decides which nutrients roots can take up.

  Acidic Neutral Alkaline

  In these tests, neutral means about pH 6 to 8, which suits most crops; acidic is below about 6 and alkaline above about 8.

  Compared with the wider area

  Place	Acidic	Neutral	Alkaline
  Here	91%	9%	0%
  Meghalaya	57%	43%	0%
  India	11%	86%	2%

• Salt

  From 4,983 soil tests

  Good
  Not salty 100%

  Almost no soil tests here came out salty

  What this means

  Salt in the soil, shown as EC on the card. Salt makes it hard for roots to drink.

  Not salty Salty

  Under 1 dS/m is fine. Between 1 and 4, only crops that can't take salt lose yield. Above 4 harms most crops.

  Compared with the wider area

  Place	Not salty	Salty
  Here	100%	0%
  Meghalaya	100%	0%
  India	96%	4%

• Sulphur

  From 2,696 soil tests

  Okay
  Short 36% Enough 64%

  4 in 10 soil tests here came out short

  If your field is short: use single super phosphate instead of DAP, or add about 100 kg of gypsum per acre before sowing.

  What this means

  Makes oil in oilseeds and protein in pulses.

  Short under 10 ppm Enough 10 ppm or more

  Healthy soil has 10 ppm or more.

  Compared with the wider area

  Place	Short	Enough
  Here	36%	64%
  Meghalaya	8%	92%
  India	24%	76%

• Zinc

  From 4,988 soil tests

  Good
  Short 7% Enough 93%

  1 in 10 soil tests here came out short

  What this means

  Needed for growth and healthy leaves. Rice and wheat often run short.

  Short under 0.6 ppm Enough 0.6 ppm or more

  Healthy soil has 0.6 ppm or more.

  Compared with the wider area

  Place	Short	Enough
  Here	7%	93%
  Meghalaya	41%	59%
  India	35%	65%

• Iron

  From 4,992 soil tests

  Okay
  Short 41% Enough 59%

  4 in 10 soil tests here came out short

  If your field is short: spray ferrous sulphate, 5 g per litre of water, when young leaves turn yellow.

  What this means

  Keeps young leaves green.

  Short under 4.5 ppm Enough 4.5 ppm or more

  Healthy soil has 4.5 ppm or more.

  Compared with the wider area

  Place	Short	Enough
  Here	41%	59%
  Meghalaya	25%	75%
  India	24%	76%

• Copper

  From 4,984 soil tests

  Good
  Short 1% Enough 99%

  Almost every soil test here had enough

  What this means

  Helps the crop set seed and resist disease.

  Short under 0.2 ppm Enough 0.2 ppm or more

  Healthy soil has 0.2 ppm or more.

  Compared with the wider area

  Place	Short	Enough
  Here	1%	99%
  Meghalaya	23%	77%
  India	5%	95%

• Manganese

  From 4,992 soil tests

  Good
  Short 18% Enough 82%

  2 in 10 soil tests here came out short

  What this means

  Helps leaves make food from sunlight.

  Short under 2 ppm Enough 2 ppm or more

  Healthy soil has 2 ppm or more.

  Compared with the wider area

  Place	Short	Enough
  Here	18%	82%
  Meghalaya	24%	76%
  India	12%	88%

The tests here for boron look like a testing error: almost every test reads the same, unlike the districts around. They aren't used.

Fixes are the usual advice. Your Soil Health Card or nearest Krishi Vigyan Kendra gives the exact dose for your field.