Erichchanatham

Village soil report

Most soil here is low in nitrogen.
See which crops suit Erichchanatham

What the soil tests found

6

out of 10

Soil score

Okay

Short in most fields here: nitrogen, organic carbon and zinc.

Not in the score: iron.

For most crops. How the soil score works

soil samples, 2023-24 & 2024-25
257
nutrients checked
11

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.

Nutrient by nutrient

  • Nitrogen

    From 256 soil tests

    Poor

    Low 99% High 1%

    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 LowMediumHigh
    Here 99% 0% 1%
    Sivakasi 100% 0% 0%
    Virudhunagar 100% 0% 0%
    Tamil Nadu 99% 1% 0%
    India 65% 29% 6%

  • Phosphorus

    From 257 soil tests

    Okay

    Low 34% Medium 29% High 37%

    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 LowMediumHigh
    Here 34% 29% 37%
    Sivakasi 35% 44% 21%
    Virudhunagar 57% 26% 16%
    Tamil Nadu 21% 43% 36%
    India 13% 41% 45%

  • Potassium

    From 257 soil tests

    Good

    Low 1% Medium 16% High 83%

    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 LowMediumHigh
    Here 1% 16% 83%
    Sivakasi 2% 20% 78%
    Virudhunagar 9% 27% 64%
    Tamil Nadu 11% 43% 46%
    India 14% 53% 33%

  • Organic carbon

    From 256 soil tests

    Poor

    Low 80% Medium 7% High 13%

    8 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 80% 7% 13%
    Sivakasi 81% 7% 12%
    Virudhunagar 79% 15% 6%
    Tamil Nadu 88% 9% 3%
    India 49% 28% 23%

  • pH

    From 255 soil tests

    Good

    Neutral 95% Alkaline 5%

    Almost no soil tests here fell short

    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 AcidicNeutralAlkaline
    Here 0% 95% 5%
    Sivakasi 0% 72% 28%
    Virudhunagar 1% 80% 19%
    Tamil Nadu 2% 93% 5%
    India 11% 86% 2%

  • Salt

    From 256 soil tests

    Okay

    Not salty 65% Salty 35%

    4 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. 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 saltySalty
    Here 65% 35%
    Sivakasi 94% 6%
    Virudhunagar 98% 2%
    Tamil Nadu 98% 2%
    India 96% 4%

  • Sulphur

    From 257 soil tests

    Good

    Short 2% Enough 98%

    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 2% 98%
    Sivakasi 38% 62%
    Virudhunagar 53% 47%
    Tamil Nadu 35% 65%
    India 24% 76%

  • Zinc

    From 257 soil tests

    Poor

    Short 71% Enough 29%

    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 ShortEnough
    Here 71% 29%
    Sivakasi 70% 30%
    Virudhunagar 70% 30%
    Tamil Nadu 42% 58%
    India 35% 65%

  • Copper

    From 257 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 35% Enough 65%

    4 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 ShortEnough
    Here 35% 65%
    Sivakasi 6% 94%
    Virudhunagar 11% 89%
    Tamil Nadu 3% 97%
    India 5% 95%

  • Manganese

    From 257 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 23% Enough 77%

    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 ShortEnough
    Here 23% 77%
    Sivakasi 11% 89%
    Virudhunagar 11% 89%
    Tamil Nadu 22% 78%
    India 12% 88%

  • Boron

    From 257 soil tests

    Okay

    Short 44% Enough 56%

    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 ShortEnough
    Here 44% 56%
    Sivakasi 59% 41%
    Virudhunagar 42% 58%
    Tamil Nadu 45% 55%
    India 44% 56%

The tests here for iron 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.

Source: Soil Health Card – soil nutrient analysis (Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare). 2023-24 & 2024-25. 257 samples.

Climate in Virudhunagar

Rain

About 860 mm of rain a year

In a normal year. A dry year brings about 640 mm.

Temperature

Hottest in May: days about 37 °C, nights 27 °C

Coolest in January: days about 31 °C, nights 22 °C.

Typical of the district's villages; a farm much higher or lower can be a few degrees cooler or warmer.

Source: IMD gridded daily rainfall (0.25°); IMD gridded daily max/min temperature (1°); TerraClimate 1991–2020 temperature normals (about 4 km), where each district's villages are.