Bastora

Nutrient by nutrient

• Nitrogen

  From 41 soil tests

  Poor
  Low 51% Medium 24% High 24%

  5 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	51%	24%	24%
  Bardez	39%	22%	39%
  North Goa	36%	24%	40%
  Goa	29%	48%	22%
  India	65%	29%	6%

• Phosphorus

  From 37 soil tests

  Good
  Low 11% Medium 30% 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	11%	30%	59%
  Bardez	42%	24%	33%
  North Goa	36%	18%	47%
  Goa	50%	19%	31%
  India	13%	41%	45%

• Potassium

  From 42 soil tests

  Poor
  Low 55% Medium 26% High 19%

  5 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	55%	26%	19%
  Bardez	38%	38%	23%
  North Goa	23%	42%	35%
  Goa	26%	38%	36%
  India	14%	53%	33%

• Organic carbon

  From 41 soil tests

  Okay
  Low 44% Medium 5% High 51%

  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%	5%	51%
  Bardez	31%	5%	64%
  North Goa	27%	5%	68%
  Goa	17%	7%	76%
  India	49%	28%	23%

• pH

  From 39 soil tests

  Okay
  Acidic 41% Neutral 59%

  4 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	41%	59%	0%
  Bardez	71%	29%	0%
  North Goa	59%	41%	0%
  Goa	54%	46%	0%
  India	11%	86%	2%

• Salt

  From 40 soil tests

  Good
  Not salty 90% Salty 10%

  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	90%	10%
  Bardez	93%	7%
  North Goa	89%	11%
  Goa	92%	8%
  India	96%	4%

• Sulphur

  From 34 soil tests

  Poor
  Short 88% Enough 12%

  9 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	88%	12%
  Bardez	78%	22%
  North Goa	58%	42%
  Goa	53%	47%
  India	24%	76%

• Zinc

  From 43 soil tests

  Okay
  Short 49% Enough 51%

  5 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	49%	51%
  Bardez	53%	47%
  North Goa	42%	58%
  Goa	30%	70%
  India	35%	65%

• Iron

  From 43 soil tests

  Good
  Enough 100%

  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	0%	100%
  Bardez	3%	97%
  North Goa	3%	97%
  Goa	3%	97%
  India	24%	76%

• Copper

  From 43 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%
  Bardez	4%	96%
  North Goa	4%	96%
  Goa	3%	97%
  India	5%	95%

• Manganese

  From 43 soil tests

  Good
  Enough 100%

  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	0%	100%
  Bardez	16%	84%
  North Goa	8%	92%
  Goa	7%	93%
  India	12%	88%

Too few tests here to judge boron (10 tests), out of 43 soil samples.

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

Climate in North Goa