Sangrah

Nutrient by nutrient

• Nitrogen

  From 776 soil tests

  Okay
  Low 32% Medium 63% High 5%

  3 in 10 soil tests 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	32%	63%	5%
  Sirmaur	31%	66%	3%
  Himachal Pradesh	64%	36%	1%
  India	65%	29%	6%

• Phosphorus

  From 777 soil tests

  Good
  Low 4% Medium 72% 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	4%	72%	25%
  Sirmaur	4%	72%	25%
  Himachal Pradesh	13%	59%	28%
  India	13%	41%	45%

• Potassium

  From 778 soil tests

  Good
  Low 3% Medium 26% High 71%

  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	3%	26%	71%
  Sirmaur	6%	26%	68%
  Himachal Pradesh	11%	49%	40%
  India	14%	53%	33%

• pH

  From 771 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%
  Sirmaur	0%	100%	0%
  Himachal Pradesh	1%	99%	0%
  India	11%	86%	2%

• Iron

  From 130 soil tests

  Good
  Enough 100%

  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	0%	100%
  Sirmaur	0%	100%
  Himachal Pradesh	3%	97%
  India	24%	76%

• Copper

  From 130 soil tests

  Good
  Short 1% Enough 99%

  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	1%	99%
  Sirmaur	1%	99%
  Himachal Pradesh	1%	99%
  India	5%	95%

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

Too few tests here to judge zinc (31 tests), out of 778 soil samples.

Not tested here: salt, sulphur and boron.

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

Climate in Sirmaur

Villages in this block