Melur

Nutrient by nutrient

• Nitrogen

  Poor
  Low 100%

  Almost every soil test 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	100%	0%	0%
  Madurai	100%	0%	0%
  Tamil Nadu	99%	1%	0%
  India	64%	30%	6%

• Phosphorus

  Good
  Low 6% Medium 45% High 49%

  1 in 10 soil tests here came out low

  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	6%	45%	49%
  Madurai	10%	54%	36%
  Tamil Nadu	21%	43%	36%
  India	14%	41%	45%

• Potassium

  Good
  Low 2% Medium 33% High 65%

  Most soil tests here came out high

  If your field is high: you can use about a quarter less potash than usual.

  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	2%	33%	65%
  Madurai	3%	30%	67%
  Tamil Nadu	11%	43%	46%
  India	14%	53%	34%

• Organic carbon

  Okay
  Low 43% Medium 41% High 17%

  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	43%	41%	17%
  Madurai	55%	36%	9%
  Tamil Nadu	88%	9%	3%
  India	48%	28%	23%

• pH

  Good
  Acidic 11% Neutral 89%

  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	11%	89%	0%
  Madurai	1%	96%	2%
  Tamil Nadu	2%	93%	5%
  India	12%	86%	2%

• Salt

  Good
  Not salty 98% Salty 2%

  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	98%	2%
  Madurai	98%	2%
  Tamil Nadu	98%	2%
  India	96%	4%

• Sulphur

  Poor
  Short 56% Enough 44%

  6 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	56%	44%
  Madurai	40%	60%
  Tamil Nadu	35%	65%
  India	24%	76%

• Zinc

  Okay
  Short 25% Enough 75%

  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	25%	75%
  Madurai	24%	76%
  Tamil Nadu	42%	58%
  India	35%	65%

• Iron

  Good
  Short 15% Enough 85%

  2 in 10 soil tests here came out short

  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	15%	85%
  Madurai	27%	73%
  Tamil Nadu	39%	61%
  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%
  Madurai	1%	99%
  Tamil Nadu	3%	97%
  India	5%	95%

• Manganese

  Good
  Short 7% Enough 93%

  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	7%	93%
  Madurai	4%	96%
  Tamil Nadu	28%	72%
  India	13%	87%

• Boron

  Poor
  Short 83% Enough 17%

  8 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	83%	17%
  Madurai	69%	31%
  Tamil Nadu	45%	55%
  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 Madurai

Villages in this block