Gadag

Many samples here are low in organic carbon. Gram (Chana) and maize cover the most farmland.
Soil score
8/10
Good for most crops
Rain
610 mm
in a normal year
Temperature
16°–37°
Hottest in April, coolest nights in January
Main crop
Gram (Chana)
1.3 lakh ha sown

Soil

What soil tests across the district found, nutrient by nutrient.

8

out of 10

Soil score

Good

Short in most fields here: salt.

For most crops. How the soil score works

This shows what soil in this area tends to be like. Your own field can be different. Get it tested at a soil testing lab before deciding.

  • Nitrogen

    Good

    Low 2% Medium 98%

    Almost every soil test here had enough

    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 LowMediumHigh
    Here 2% 98% 0%
    Karnataka 62% 32% 6%
    India 64% 30% 6%
  • Phosphorus

    Good

    Medium 92% High 8%

    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 LowMediumHigh
    Here 0% 92% 8%
    Karnataka 7% 36% 57%
    India 14% 41% 45%
  • Potassium

    Good

    Medium 72% High 28%

    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 LowMediumHigh
    Here 0% 72% 28%
    Karnataka 13% 47% 40%
    India 14% 53% 34%
  • Organic carbon

    Okay

    Low 42% Medium 57% High 1%

    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 LowMediumHigh
    Here 42% 57% 1%
    Karnataka 46% 32% 22%
    India 48% 28% 23%
  • pH

    Good

    Neutral 100%

    Almost every soil test here came out neutral

    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 AcidicNeutralAlkaline
    Here 0% 100% 0%
    Karnataka 7% 90% 3%
    India 12% 86% 2%
  • Salt

    Poor

    Not salty 10% Salty 90%

    9 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 saltySalty
    Here 10% 90%
    Karnataka 91% 9%
    India 96% 4%
  • Sulphur

    Good

    Enough 100%

    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 ShortEnough
    Here 0% 100%
    Karnataka 31% 69%
    India 24% 76%
  • Zinc

    Good

    Enough 100%

    Almost every soil test here had enough

    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 ShortEnough
    Here 0% 100%
    Karnataka 57% 43%
    India 35% 65%
  • Iron

    Good

    Short 3% Enough 97%

    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 ShortEnough
    Here 3% 97%
    Karnataka 52% 48%
    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 ShortEnough
    Here 0% 100%
    Karnataka 5% 95%
    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 ShortEnough
    Here 0% 100%
    Karnataka 14% 86%
    India 13% 87%
  • Boron

    Good

    Enough 100%

    Almost every soil test here had enough

    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 ShortEnough
    Here 0% 100%
    Karnataka 55% 45%
    India 45% 55%

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

Source: Soil Health Card – soil nutrient analysis (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare). 2023-24 & 2024-25. 19,668 samples.

Climate

Rain and temperature through the year, from 24 years of weather records.

Rain

About 610 mm of rain a year

In a normal year. A dry year brings about 480 mm.

Temperature

Hottest in April: days about 37°, nights 23°

Coolest in January: days about 31°, nights 16°.

Averages for an area about 100 km across; hills and valleys can differ by several degrees.

Source: IMD gridded daily rainfall (0.25°); IMD gridded daily max/min temperature (1°).

Crops that suit Gadag

Judged on the soil, rain and temperature here, whether or not they're grown here now. Best bets first: what each could earn an acre before costs, with risky crops moved down.

Working out which crops suit Gadag…

What grows here

Main crops by area, with yield per hectare. Tap a crop to see it across India.

Yield against other districts

Gram (Chana)

Yield is better than 2% of districts growing it.

Maize

Yield is better than 42% of districts growing it.

Moong (Green Gram)

Yield is better than 5% of districts growing it.

0.0 0.3 0.6
1998-99 2024-25
Latest 0.4 t/ha in 2024-25

Source: Crop area, production & yield – district-wise (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare); Crop area, production & yield – UPAG (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare). 2018-19 to 2024-25.

Compared with similar soil

What this district harvests, next to districts whose soil tests look alike.

Maize

Here 2.5 t/ha
Similar soil 1.8 t/ha

Districts with similar soil typically get 1.8 t/ha of maize; here it's 2.5 t/ha.

Moong (Green Gram)

Here 0.3 t/ha
Similar soil 0.6 t/ha

Districts with similar soil typically get 0.6 t/ha of moong (green gram); here it's 0.3 t/ha. That's about 127% more per hectare.

Wheat

Here 0.7 t/ha
Similar soil 2.5 t/ha

Districts with similar soil typically get 2.5 t/ha of wheat; here it's 0.7 t/ha. That's about 239% more per hectare.

Yields also depend on water, weather, seeds and farming practice, not only soil.

Source: Soil Health Card – soil nutrient analysis (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare); Crop area, production & yield – district-wise (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare); Crop area, production & yield – UPAG (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare).

Who farms here

Farms
1,79,116
Average farm size
2.2 ha
Young farmers (18–30)
2%
Farmers with secondary school or more
46%
Farmland that is irrigated
33%
Farmers who took a bank or co-op loan
59%
Farmers who had their soil tested
2%
Farmers using certified seed
57%
Drip or sprinkler sets per 1,000 farms
0

Source: Agricultural Input Survey (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare). 2016-17.

Districts with similar soil

Places whose soil tests look most like this district's, and what they grow.

Blocks in this district

Open a block for its soil report and the villages in it.