Mahesana

• Nitrogen

  From 27,000 soil tests

  Poor
  Low 96% Medium 4%

  Almost every soil test 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	96%	4%	0%
  Gujarat	81%	18%	1%
  India	65%	29%	6%

• Phosphorus

  From 27,053 soil tests

  Good
  Low 10% Medium 31% High 59%

  Most soil tests here came out high

  If your field is high: you can use about a quarter less DAP than usual.

  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	10%	31%	59%
  Gujarat	9%	24%	67%
  India	13%	41%	45%

• Potassium

  From 27,071 soil tests

  Good
  Low 11% Medium 48% High 40%

  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	11%	48%	40%
  Gujarat	4%	33%	62%
  India	14%	53%	33%

• Organic carbon

  From 26,947 soil tests

  Okay
  Low 44% Medium 34% High 21%

  4 in 10 soil tests here came out low

  If your field is low: add 4 tonnes of compost or farmyard manure per acre before sowing, and plough crop leftovers back in instead of burning them.

  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	44%	34%	21%
  Gujarat	34%	35%	31%
  India	49%	28%	23%

• pH

  From 26,687 soil tests

  Good
  Neutral 94% Alkaline 6%

  1 in 10 soil tests here came out alkaline

  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	0%	94%	6%
  Gujarat	0%	98%	2%
  India	11%	86%	2%

• Salt

  From 26,858 soil tests

  Good
  Not salty 95% Salty 5%

  1 in 10 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	95%	5%
  Gujarat	86%	14%
  India	96%	4%

• Sulphur

  From 27,099 soil tests

  Good
  Short 20% Enough 80%

  2 in 10 soil tests here came out short

  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	20%	80%
  Gujarat	25%	75%
  India	24%	76%

• Zinc

  From 27,115 soil tests

  Poor
  Short 73% Enough 27%

  7 in 10 soil tests here came out short

  If your field is short: mix 10 kg of zinc sulphate per acre into the soil before sowing. One dose lasts two or three seasons.

  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	73%	27%
  Gujarat	39%	61%
  India	35%	65%

• Iron

  From 27,147 soil tests

  Poor
  Short 82% Enough 18%

  8 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	82%	18%
  Gujarat	32%	68%
  India	24%	76%

• Copper

  From 27,163 soil tests

  Okay
  Short 33% Enough 67%

  3 in 10 soil tests here came out short

  If your field is short: mix 2 kg of copper sulphate per acre into the soil before sowing.

  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	33%	67%
  Gujarat	7%	93%
  India	5%	95%

• Manganese

  From 27,173 soil tests

  Okay
  Short 21% Enough 79%

  2 in 10 soil tests here came out short

  If your field is short: spray manganese sulphate, 5 g per litre of water, on the young crop.

  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	21%	79%
  Gujarat	8%	92%
  India	12%	88%

• Boron

  From 27,119 soil tests

  Good
  Short 10% Enough 90%

  1 in 10 soil tests here came out short

  What this means

  Needed for flowers to set seed and fruit.

  Short under 0.5 ppm Enough 0.5 ppm or more

  Healthy soil has 0.5 ppm or more.

  Compared with the wider area

  Place	Short	Enough
  Here	10%	90%
  Gujarat	51%	49%
  India	44%	56%

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