Tirunelveli

• Nitrogen

  From 9,926 soil tests

  Poor
  Low 92% Medium 8%

  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	92%	8%	0%
  Tamil Nadu	99%	1%	0%
  India	65%	29%	6%

• Phosphorus

  From 9,926 soil tests

  Okay
  Low 26% Medium 31% High 43%

  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	26%	31%	43%
  Tamil Nadu	21%	43%	36%
  India	13%	41%	45%

• Potassium

  From 9,926 soil tests

  Good
  Low 11% Medium 31% High 58%

  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	11%	31%	58%
  Tamil Nadu	11%	43%	46%
  India	14%	53%	33%

• Organic carbon

  From 9,926 soil tests

  Poor
  Low 52% Medium 36% High 12%

  5 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	52%	36%	12%
  Tamil Nadu	88%	9%	3%
  India	49%	28%	23%

• pH

  From 9,924 soil tests

  Good
  Acidic 5% Neutral 90% Alkaline 5%

  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	5%	90%	5%
  Tamil Nadu	2%	93%	5%
  India	11%	86%	2%

• Salt

  From 9,926 soil tests

  Good
  Not salty 96% Salty 4%

  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	96%	4%
  Tamil Nadu	98%	2%
  India	96%	4%

• Sulphur

  From 9,926 soil tests

  Poor
  Short 69% Enough 31%

  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	69%	31%
  Tamil Nadu	35%	65%
  India	24%	76%

• Zinc

  From 9,926 soil tests

  Good
  Short 17% Enough 83%

  2 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	17%	83%
  Tamil Nadu	42%	58%
  India	35%	65%

• Iron

  From 9,926 soil tests

  Good
  Short 18% Enough 82%

  2 in 10 soil tests here came out short

  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	18%	82%
  Tamil Nadu	37%	63%
  India	24%	76%

• Copper

  From 9,924 soil tests

  Good
  Short 3% Enough 97%

  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	3%	97%
  Tamil Nadu	3%	97%
  India	5%	95%

• Manganese

  From 9,926 soil tests

  Good
  Short 10% Enough 90%

  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	10%	90%
  Tamil Nadu	22%	78%
  India	12%	88%

• Boron

  From 9,925 soil tests

  Poor
  Short 80% Enough 20%

  8 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	80%	20%
  Tamil Nadu	45%	55%
  India	44%	56%

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