Chiringpara

Nutrient by nutrient

• Nitrogen

  From 43 soil tests

  Poor
  Low 74% Medium 26%

  7 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	74%	26%	0%
  Betasing	55%	45%	0%
  South West Garo Hills	34%	64%	3%
  Meghalaya	40%	59%	1%
  India	65%	29%	6%

• Phosphorus

  From 43 soil tests

  Poor
  Low 58% Medium 42%

  6 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	58%	42%	0%
  Betasing	54%	46%	0%
  South West Garo Hills	52%	47%	1%
  Meghalaya	36%	43%	21%
  India	13%	41%	45%

• Potassium

  From 43 soil tests

  Good
  Low 12% Medium 88%

  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	12%	88%	0%
  Betasing	28%	70%	2%
  South West Garo Hills	26%	70%	4%
  Meghalaya	18%	67%	15%
  India	14%	53%	33%

• Organic carbon

  From 43 soil tests

  Good
  Low 14% Medium 44% High 42%

  1 in 10 soil tests here came out low

  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	14%	44%	42%
  Betasing	8%	45%	48%
  South West Garo Hills	4%	27%	69%
  Meghalaya	3%	11%	86%
  India	49%	28%	23%

• pH

  From 43 soil tests

  Good
  Acidic 16% Neutral 84%

  2 in 10 soil tests here came out acidic

  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	16%	84%	0%
  Betasing	52%	48%	0%
  South West Garo Hills	59%	41%	0%
  Meghalaya	57%	43%	0%
  India	11%	86%	2%

• Salt

  From 43 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%
  Betasing	100%	0%
  South West Garo Hills	100%	0%
  Meghalaya	100%	0%
  India	96%	4%

• Zinc

  From 43 soil tests

  Poor
  Short 77% Enough 23%

  8 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	77%	23%
  Betasing	80%	20%
  South West Garo Hills	76%	24%
  Meghalaya	41%	59%
  India	35%	65%

• Iron

  From 43 soil tests

  Good
  Short 2% Enough 98%

  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	2%	98%
  Betasing	6%	94%
  South West Garo Hills	9%	91%
  Meghalaya	25%	75%
  India	24%	76%

• Copper

  From 43 soil tests

  Okay
  Short 23% Enough 77%

  2 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	23%	77%
  Betasing	12%	88%
  South West Garo Hills	19%	81%
  Meghalaya	23%	77%
  India	5%	95%

• Manganese

  From 43 soil tests

  Good
  Short 14% Enough 86%

  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	14%	86%
  Betasing	4%	96%
  South West Garo Hills	7%	93%
  Meghalaya	24%	76%
  India	12%	88%

• Boron

  From 43 soil tests

  Poor
  Short 72% Enough 28%

  7 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	72%	28%
  Betasing	70%	30%
  South West Garo Hills	62%	38%
  Meghalaya	68%	32%
  India	44%	56%

The tests here for sulphur 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.

Climate in South West Garo Hills