Meral

Nutrient by nutrient

• Nitrogen

  Poor
  Low 78% Medium 22%

  8 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	78%	22%	0%
  Garhwa	76%	24%	0%
  Jharkhand	49%	51%	1%
  India	64%	30%	6%

• Phosphorus

  Good
  Medium 83% High 16%

  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	0%	83%	16%
  Garhwa	4%	81%	15%
  Jharkhand	11%	63%	26%
  India	14%	41%	45%

• Potassium

  Good
  Low 17% Medium 82% High 1%

  2 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	17%	82%	1%
  Garhwa	18%	81%	1%
  Jharkhand	15%	76%	9%
  India	14%	53%	34%

• Organic carbon

  Okay
  Low 38% Medium 48% High 14%

  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	38%	48%	14%
  Garhwa	42%	45%	13%
  Jharkhand	34%	48%	19%
  India	48%	28%	23%

• pH

  Good
  Acidic 5% Neutral 95%

  1 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

  Most crops do best at pH 6.5 to 7.5.

  Compared with the wider area

  Place	Acidic	Neutral	Alkaline
  Here	5%	95%	0%
  Garhwa	4%	96%	0%
  Jharkhand	39%	60%	0%
  India	12%	86%	2%

• Salt

  Good
  Not salty 99% Salty 1%

  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. Above 4 harms most crops.

  Compared with the wider area

  Place	Not salty	Salty
  Here	99%	1%
  Garhwa	99%	1%
  Jharkhand	99%	1%
  India	96%	4%

• Sulphur

  Good
  Short 3% Enough 97%

  Almost every soil test here had enough

  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	3%	97%
  Garhwa	7%	93%
  Jharkhand	19%	81%
  India	24%	76%

• Zinc

  Okay
  Short 43% Enough 57%

  4 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	43%	57%
  Garhwa	39%	61%
  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%
  Garhwa	1%	99%
  Jharkhand	3%	97%
  India	24%	76%

• Copper

  Good
  Short 2% Enough 98%

  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	2%	98%
  Garhwa	2%	98%
  Jharkhand	2%	98%
  India	5%	95%

• Manganese

  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%
  Garhwa	1%	99%
  Jharkhand	5%	95%
  India	13%	87%

• Boron

  Okay
  Short 38% Enough 62%

  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	38%	62%
  Garhwa	36%	64%
  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 Garhwa

Villages in this block