Topchanchi

Nutrient by nutrient

• Nitrogen

  Poor
  Low 67% Medium 33%

  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	67%	33%	0%
  Dhanbad	62%	37%	0%
  Jharkhand	49%	51%	1%
  India	64%	30%	6%

• Phosphorus

  Good
  Low 1% Medium 92% High 7%

  Almost every soil test here had enough

  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	1%	92%	7%
  Dhanbad	3%	84%	13%
  Jharkhand	11%	63%	26%
  India	14%	41%	45%

• Potassium

  Good
  Low 4% Medium 94% High 3%

  Almost every soil test here had enough

  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	4%	94%	3%
  Dhanbad	7%	86%	7%
  Jharkhand	15%	76%	9%
  India	14%	53%	34%

• Organic carbon

  Okay
  Low 32% Medium 22% High 46%

  3 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	32%	22%	46%
  Dhanbad	38%	29%	33%
  Jharkhand	34%	48%	19%
  India	48%	28%	23%

• pH

  Poor
  Acidic 71% Neutral 29%

  7 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

  Most crops do best at pH 6.5 to 7.5.

  Compared with the wider area

  Place	Acidic	Neutral	Alkaline
  Here	71%	29%	0%
  Dhanbad	65%	35%	0%
  Jharkhand	39%	60%	0%
  India	12%	86%	2%

• Salt

  Okay
  Not salty 79% Salty 21%

  2 in 10 soil tests here came out salty

  If your field is salty: grow crops that take salt, level the field, and wash the salt down with good water before sowing.

  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. Above 4 harms most crops.

  Compared with the wider area

  Place	Not salty	Salty
  Here	79%	21%
  Dhanbad	92%	8%
  Jharkhand	99%	1%
  India	96%	4%

• Sulphur

  Good
  Short 11% Enough 89%

  1 in 10 soil tests here came out short

  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	11%	89%
  Dhanbad	13%	87%
  Jharkhand	19%	81%
  India	24%	76%

• Zinc

  Okay
  Short 23% Enough 77%

  2 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	23%	77%
  Dhanbad	18%	82%
  Jharkhand	17%	83%
  India	35%	65%

• Iron

  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%
  Dhanbad	0%	100%
  Jharkhand	3%	97%
  India	24%	76%

• Copper

  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%
  Dhanbad	0%	100%
  Jharkhand	2%	98%
  India	5%	95%

• Manganese

  Good
  Short 6% Enough 94%

  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	6%	94%
  Dhanbad	2%	98%
  Jharkhand	5%	95%
  India	13%	87%

• Boron

  Okay
  Short 47% Enough 53%

  5 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	47%	53%
  Dhanbad	54%	46%
  Jharkhand	34%	66%
  India	45%	55%

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

Climate in Dhanbad

Villages in this block