Melapara

Nutrient by nutrient

• Nitrogen

  Good
  Low 17% Medium 83%

  2 in 10 soil tests here came out low

  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	17%	83%	0%
  Zikzak	28%	71%	2%
  South West Garo Hills	34%	64%	3%
  Meghalaya	40%	59%	1%
  India	64%	30%	6%

• Phosphorus

  Okay
  Low 26% Medium 74%

  3 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	26%	74%	0%
  Zikzak	54%	45%	1%
  South West Garo Hills	52%	47%	1%
  Meghalaya	36%	43%	21%
  India	14%	41%	45%

• Potassium

  Poor
  Low 52% Medium 48%

  5 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	52%	48%	0%
  Zikzak	30%	67%	3%
  South West Garo Hills	26%	70%	4%
  Meghalaya	18%	67%	15%
  India	14%	53%	34%

• Organic carbon

  Good
  Medium 13% High 87%

  Most soil tests here came out high

  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	0%	13%	87%
  Zikzak	3%	25%	71%
  South West Garo Hills	4%	27%	69%
  Meghalaya	3%	11%	86%
  India	48%	28%	23%

• pH

  Poor
  Acidic 70% Neutral 30%

  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

  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	70%	30%	0%
  Zikzak	54%	46%	0%
  South West Garo Hills	59%	41%	0%
  Meghalaya	57%	43%	0%
  India	12%	86%	2%

• Salt

  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. Above 4 harms most crops.

  Compared with the wider area

  Place	Not salty	Salty
  Here	100%	0%
  Zikzak	100%	0%
  South West Garo Hills	100%	0%
  Meghalaya	100%	0%
  India	96%	4%

• Zinc

  Poor
  Short 52% Enough 48%

  5 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	52%	48%
  Zikzak	78%	22%
  South West Garo Hills	76%	24%
  Meghalaya	41%	59%
  India	35%	65%

• Iron

  Okay
  Short 22% Enough 78%

  2 in 10 soil tests here came out short

  If your field is short: spray ferrous sulphate, 5 g per litre of water, when young leaves turn yellow.

  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	22%	78%
  Zikzak	8%	92%
  South West Garo Hills	9%	91%
  Meghalaya	25%	75%
  India	24%	76%

• Copper

  Okay
  Short 26% Enough 74%

  3 in 10 soil tests here came out short

  If your field is short: mix 2 kg of copper sulphate per acre into the soil before sowing.

  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	26%	74%
  Zikzak	18%	82%
  South West Garo Hills	19%	81%
  Meghalaya	23%	77%
  India	5%	95%

• Manganese

  Okay
  Short 30% Enough 70%

  3 in 10 soil tests here came out short

  If your field is short: spray manganese sulphate, 5 g per litre of water, on the young crop.

  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	30%	70%
  Zikzak	7%	93%
  South West Garo Hills	7%	93%
  Meghalaya	24%	76%
  India	13%	87%

• Boron

  Poor
  Short 96% Enough 4%

  Almost every soil test 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	96%	4%
  Zikzak	58%	42%
  South West Garo Hills	62%	38%
  Meghalaya	64%	36%
  India	45%	55%

The tests here for sulphur look like a testing error: almost every test reads the same, unlike the districts around. They aren't used.

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

Climate in South West Garo Hills