Sirsodem

Nutrient by nutrient

• Nitrogen

  From 34 soil tests

  Okay
  Low 32% Medium 12% High 56%

  3 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	32%	12%	56%
  Satari	29%	20%	51%
  North Goa	36%	24%	40%
  Goa	29%	48%	22%
  India	65%	29%	6%

• Phosphorus

  From 31 soil tests

  Poor
  Low 65% Medium 23% High 13%

  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	65%	23%	13%
  Satari	59%	19%	22%
  North Goa	36%	18%	47%
  Goa	50%	19%	31%
  India	13%	41%	45%

• Potassium

  From 32 soil tests

  Okay
  Low 34% Medium 31% High 34%

  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	34%	31%	34%
  Satari	25%	48%	27%
  North Goa	23%	42%	35%
  Goa	26%	38%	36%
  India	14%	53%	33%

• Organic carbon

  From 34 soil tests

  Okay
  Low 21% Medium 6% High 74%

  2 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	21%	6%	74%
  Satari	22%	4%	73%
  North Goa	27%	5%	68%
  Goa	17%	7%	76%
  India	49%	28%	23%

• pH

  From 34 soil tests

  Poor
  Acidic 91% Neutral 9%

  9 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	91%	9%	0%
  Satari	72%	28%	0%
  North Goa	59%	41%	0%
  Goa	54%	46%	0%
  India	11%	86%	2%

• Salt

  From 34 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%
  Satari	96%	4%
  North Goa	89%	11%
  Goa	92%	8%
  India	96%	4%

• Zinc

  From 32 soil tests

  Poor
  Short 63% Enough 38%

  6 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	63%	38%
  Satari	43%	57%
  North Goa	42%	58%
  Goa	30%	70%
  India	35%	65%

• Iron

  From 34 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%
  Satari	4%	96%
  North Goa	3%	97%
  Goa	3%	97%
  India	24%	76%

• Copper

  From 34 soil tests

  Good
  Short 6% Enough 94%

  1 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	6%	94%
  Satari	5%	95%
  North Goa	4%	96%
  Goa	3%	97%
  India	5%	95%

• Manganese

  From 34 soil tests

  Good
  Short 3% Enough 97%

  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	3%	97%
  Satari	0%	100%
  North Goa	8%	92%
  Goa	7%	93%
  India	12%	88%

• Boron

  From 30 soil tests

  Okay
  Short 37% Enough 63%

  4 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	37%	63%
  Satari	41%	59%
  North Goa	44%	56%
  Goa	41%	59%
  India	44%	56%

Too few tests here to judge sulphur (9 tests), out of 34 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