Bengaluru Rural

• Nitrogen

  From 14,396 soil tests

  Poor
  Low 94% Medium 6%

  9 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	94%	6%	0%
  Karnataka	67%	29%	4%
  India	65%	29%	6%

• Phosphorus

  From 14,396 soil tests

  Good
  Low 7% Medium 32% High 61%

  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	7%	32%	61%
  Karnataka	7%	31%	62%
  India	13%	41%	45%

• Potassium

  From 14,396 soil tests

  Okay
  Low 28% Medium 47% High 26%

  3 in 10 soil tests here came out low

  If your field is low: add about a quarter more potash (MOP) than the usual dose.

  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	28%	47%	26%
  Karnataka	13%	47%	40%
  India	14%	53%	33%

• Organic carbon

  From 14,396 soil tests

  Poor
  Low 75% Medium 20% High 5%

  8 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	75%	20%	5%
  Karnataka	46%	32%	22%
  India	49%	28%	23%

• pH

  From 14,396 soil tests

  Okay
  Acidic 26% Neutral 74%

  3 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	26%	74%	0%
  Karnataka	5%	92%	3%
  India	11%	86%	2%

• Salt

  From 14,392 soil tests

  Good
  Not salty 98% Salty 2%

  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	98%	2%
  Karnataka	98%	2%
  India	96%	4%

• Sulphur

  From 14,396 soil tests

  Poor
  Short 70% Enough 30%

  7 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	70%	30%
  Karnataka	31%	69%
  India	24%	76%

• Zinc

  From 14,396 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%
  Karnataka	57%	43%
  India	35%	65%

• Iron

  From 14,395 soil tests

  Poor
  Short 64% Enough 36%

  6 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	64%	36%
  Karnataka	50%	50%
  India	24%	76%

• Copper

  From 14,396 soil tests

  Good
  Short 18% Enough 82%

  2 in 10 soil tests here came out short

  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	18%	82%
  Karnataka	5%	95%
  India	5%	95%

• Manganese

  From 14,396 soil tests

  Good
  Short 15% Enough 85%

  1 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	15%	85%
  Karnataka	14%	86%
  India	12%	88%

• Boron

  From 14,394 soil tests

  Poor
  Short 96% Enough 4%

  Almost every soil test here came out short

  If your field is short: mix 4 kg of borax per acre into the soil before sowing.

  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	96%	4%
  Karnataka	55%	45%
  India	44%	56%

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