Bhatchhala

Nutrient by nutrient

• Nitrogen

  From 32 soil tests

  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%
  Chapra	78%	21%	0%
  Nadia	81%	19%	0%
  West Bengal	39%	58%	3%
  India	65%	29%	6%

• Phosphorus

  From 32 soil tests

  Good
  Medium 75% High 25%

  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%	75%	25%
  Chapra	0%	43%	57%
  Nadia	1%	42%	58%
  West Bengal	7%	21%	72%
  India	13%	41%	45%

• Potassium

  From 32 soil tests

  Good
  Low 16% Medium 53% High 31%

  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	16%	53%	31%
  Chapra	7%	49%	44%
  Nadia	7%	59%	34%
  West Bengal	11%	56%	33%
  India	14%	53%	33%

• Organic carbon

  From 32 soil tests

  Good
  Low 6% Medium 28% High 66%

  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	6%	28%	66%
  Chapra	34%	39%	27%
  Nadia	48%	36%	16%
  West Bengal	25%	41%	33%
  India	49%	28%	23%

• pH

  From 32 soil tests

  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

  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	0%	100%	0%
  Chapra	1%	99%	0%
  Nadia	0%	99%	0%
  West Bengal	27%	73%	0%
  India	11%	86%	2%

• Salt

  From 32 soil tests

  Good
  Not salty 97% Salty 3%

  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. Between 1 and 4, only crops that can't take salt lose yield. Above 4 harms most crops.

  Compared with the wider area

  Place	Not salty	Salty
  Here	97%	3%
  Chapra	99%	1%
  Nadia	99%	1%
  West Bengal	95%	5%
  India	96%	4%

• Sulphur

  From 32 soil tests

  Okay
  Short 22% Enough 78%

  2 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	22%	78%
  Chapra	16%	84%
  Nadia	16%	84%
  West Bengal	33%	67%
  India	24%	76%

• Zinc

  From 32 soil tests

  Poor
  Short 69% Enough 31%

  7 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	69%	31%
  Chapra	55%	45%
  Nadia	41%	59%
  West Bengal	24%	76%
  India	35%	65%

• Iron

  From 32 soil tests

  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	Short	Enough
  Here	3%	97%
  Chapra	1%	99%
  Nadia	2%	98%
  West Bengal	1%	99%
  India	24%	76%

• Copper

  From 32 soil tests

  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%
  Chapra	0%	100%
  Nadia	0%	100%
  West Bengal	1%	99%
  India	5%	95%

• Manganese

  From 32 soil tests

  Okay
  Short 22% Enough 78%

  2 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	22%	78%
  Chapra	23%	77%
  Nadia	20%	80%
  West Bengal	11%	89%
  India	12%	88%

• Boron

  From 32 soil tests

  Poor
  Short 100%

  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	100%	0%
  Chapra	71%	29%
  Nadia	68%	32%
  West Bengal	62%	38%
  India	44%	56%

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

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