Chamarajanagar

Most soil here is short of iron. Maize and horse gram (kulthi) cover the most farmland.
Soil score
8/10
Good for most crops
Not in the score: nitrogen.
Rain
780 mm
a year, most of it Sep⁠–⁠Oct
Temperature
17–34 °C
Hottest in March, coolest nights in December
Main crop
Maize
95,476 acres sown

Soil

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

8

out of 10

Soil score

Good

Short in most fields here: zinc, iron and boron.

Not in the score: nitrogen.

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.

  • Phosphorus

    From 24,330 soil tests

    Good

    Low 4% Medium 41% High 55%

    Most soil tests here came out high

    If your field is high: you can use about a quarter less DAP than usual.

    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 4% 41% 55%
    Karnataka 7% 31% 62%
    India 13% 41% 45%
  • Potassium

    From 24,334 soil tests

    Okay

    Low 27% Medium 56% High 17%

    3 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 LowMediumHigh
    Here 27% 56% 17%
    Karnataka 13% 47% 40%
    India 14% 53% 33%
  • Organic carbon

    From 24,334 soil tests

    Okay

    Low 48% Medium 29% High 23%

    5 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 48% 29% 23%
    Karnataka 46% 32% 22%
    India 49% 28% 23%
  • pH

    From 24,334 soil tests

    Good

    Acidic 1% Neutral 98% Alkaline 2%

    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 AcidicNeutralAlkaline
    Here 1% 98% 2%
    Karnataka 5% 92% 3%
    India 11% 86% 2%
  • Salt

    From 24,334 soil tests

    Good

    Not salty 98% Salty 2%

    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 saltySalty
    Here 98% 2%
    Karnataka 98% 2%
    India 96% 4%
  • Sulphur

    From 24,332 soil tests

    Good

    Short 7% Enough 93%

    1 in 10 soil tests here came out short

    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 7% 93%
    Karnataka 31% 69%
    India 24% 76%
  • Zinc

    From 24,326 soil tests

    Poor

    Short 57% Enough 43%

    6 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 57% 43%
    Karnataka 57% 43%
    India 35% 65%
  • Iron

    From 24,333 soil tests

    Poor

    Short 65% Enough 35%

    7 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 ShortEnough
    Here 65% 35%
    Karnataka 50% 50%
    India 24% 76%
  • Copper

    From 24,326 soil tests

    Good

    Short 7% Enough 93%

    1 in 10 soil tests here came out short

    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 7% 93%
    Karnataka 5% 95%
    India 5% 95%
  • Manganese

    From 24,334 soil tests

    Good

    Short 12% Enough 88%

    1 in 10 soil tests here came out short

    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 12% 88%
    Karnataka 14% 86%
    India 12% 88%
  • Boron

    From 24,334 soil tests

    Poor

    Short 58% Enough 42%

    6 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 58% 42%
    Karnataka 55% 45%
    India 44% 56%

The tests here for nitrogen 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. 24,334 samples.

Climate

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

Rain

About 780 mm of rain a year

In a normal year. A dry year brings about 680 mm.

Temperature

Hottest in March: days about 34 °C, nights 21 °C

Coolest in December: days about 28 °C, nights 17 °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.

Crops that suit Chamarajanagar

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.

Kharif 0 good fits

No crop fits well in this season here.

Possible with effort: Maize Jowar (Sorghum) Sunflower

See every kharif option

Rabi 0 good fits

No crop fits well in this season here.

Possible with effort: Horse Gram (Kulthi) Maize Gram (Chana)

See every rabi option

Whole year 0 good fits

No crop fits well in this season here.

Possible with effort: Coconut Pineapple Dragon Fruit

See every whole year option

Sowing Growing

Money a season, before costs. Bar: compared with the best crop here.

What grows here

Each crop's share of the district's farmland in recent years, with its yield. Tap a crop to see when it's sown in the state and where it grows best.

Yield against other districts

Maize

Yield is better than 72% of districts growing it.

Horse Gram (Kulthi)

Yield is better than 71% of districts growing it.

Other Pulses

Yield is better than 30% of districts growing it.

0 10 q 20 q 30 q
1998-99 2024-25
Latest 15 quintals an acre in 2024-25
Sown already? Follow it week by week: Maize Rice Cotton

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 districts like this one

What this district harvests, next to districts whose soil tests look alike and whose rain and warmth are close to its own.

Maize

Here 15 quintals an acre
Similar districts 12 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 12 quintals an acre of maize; here it's 15 quintals an acre.

Horse Gram (Kulthi)

Here 2.9 quintals an acre
Similar districts 2.4 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 2.4 quintals an acre of horse gram (kulthi); here it's 2.9 quintals an acre.

Other Pulses

Here 2.7 quintals an acre
Similar districts 2.8 quintals an acre

Districts with similar soil, rain and warmth typically get 2.8 quintals an acre of other pulses; here it's 2.7 quintals an acre.

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 2016-17
2.2 lakh
Average farm size 2016-17
2.5 acres
Young farmers (18–30) 2016-17
0%
Farmers with secondary school or more 2016-17
25%
Farmland that is irrigated 2016-17
29%
Farmers who took a bank or co-op loan 2016-17
13%
Farmers who had their soil tested 2016-17
0%
Farmers using certified seed 2016-17
57%

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

Districts like this one

Places whose soil tests look most like this district's, with rain and warmth close to its own, and what they grow.

Blocks in this district

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