Pathanamthitta

• Phosphorus

  From 6,308 soil tests

  Good
  Low 4% Medium 13% High 84%

  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	4%	13%	84%
  Kerala	9%	17%	74%
  India	13%	41%	45%

• Potassium

  From 6,314 soil tests

  Good
  Low 10% Medium 37% High 52%

  Most soil tests here came out high

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

  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	10%	37%	52%
  Kerala	29%	42%	29%
  India	14%	53%	33%

• Organic carbon

  From 6,292 soil tests

  Good
  Low 8% Medium 14% High 78%

  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	8%	14%	78%
  Kerala	19%	19%	62%
  India	49%	28%	23%

• pH

  From 6,277 soil tests

  Okay
  Acidic 34% Neutral 66%

  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	34%	66%	0%
  Kerala	28%	72%	0%
  India	11%	86%	2%

• Salt

  From 6,265 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%
  Kerala	99%	1%
  India	96%	4%

• Sulphur

  From 6,317 soil tests

  Okay
  Short 26% Enough 74%

  3 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	26%	74%
  Kerala	44%	56%
  India	24%	76%

• Zinc

  From 6,318 soil tests

  Good
  Short 1% Enough 99%

  Almost every soil test here had enough

  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	1%	99%
  Kerala	6%	94%
  India	35%	65%

• Iron

  From 6,314 soil tests

  Good
  Short 1% Enough 99%

  Almost every soil test here had enough

  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	1%	99%
  Kerala	2%	98%
  India	24%	76%

• Copper

  From 6,320 soil tests

  Good
  Enough 100%

  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	0%	100%
  Kerala	1%	99%
  India	5%	95%

• Manganese

  From 6,321 soil tests

  Good
  Short 2% Enough 98%

  Almost every soil test here had enough

  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	2%	98%
  Kerala	4%	96%
  India	12%	88%

• Boron

  From 6,302 soil tests

  Poor
  Short 65% Enough 35%

  6 in 10 soil tests 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	65%	35%
  Kerala	47%	53%
  India	44%	56%

Too few tests here to judge nitrogen (2 tests), out of 6,321 soil samples.

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