Soreng

• Nitrogen

  From 11,386 soil tests

  Okay
  Low 43% Medium 56% High 1%

  4 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	43%	56%	1%
  Sikkim	33%	64%	4%
  India	65%	29%	6%

• Phosphorus

  From 11,401 soil tests

  Good
  Low 6% Medium 18% High 76%

  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	Low	Medium	High
  Here	6%	18%	76%
  Sikkim	3%	27%	70%
  India	13%	41%	45%

• Potassium

  From 11,430 soil tests

  Okay
  Low 21% Medium 54% High 25%

  2 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	21%	54%	25%
  Sikkim	9%	61%	31%
  India	14%	53%	33%

• Organic carbon

  From 11,338 soil tests

  Okay
  Low 29% Medium 41% High 31%

  3 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	Low	Medium	High
  Here	29%	41%	31%
  Sikkim	15%	29%	56%
  India	49%	28%	23%

• pH

  From 10,896 soil tests

  Poor
  Acidic 88% Neutral 12%

  9 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	88%	12%	0%
  Sikkim	49%	51%	0%
  India	11%	86%	2%

• Salt

  From 11,168 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 salty	Salty
  Here	98%	2%
  Sikkim	98%	2%
  India	96%	4%

• Sulphur

  From 11,448 soil tests

  Good
  Short 5% Enough 95%

  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	Short	Enough
  Here	5%	95%
  Sikkim	9%	91%
  India	24%	76%

• Zinc

  From 11,435 soil tests

  Good
  Short 4% Enough 96%

  Almost every soil test here had enough

  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	4%	96%
  Sikkim	3%	97%
  India	35%	65%

• Iron

  From 11,468 soil tests

  Good
  Short 4% Enough 96%

  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	4%	96%
  Sikkim	7%	93%
  India	24%	76%

• Copper

  From 11,433 soil tests

  Good
  Short 13% Enough 87%

  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	Short	Enough
  Here	13%	87%
  Sikkim	2%	98%
  India	5%	95%

• Manganese

  From 11,477 soil tests

  Good
  Short 15% Enough 85%

  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	Short	Enough
  Here	15%	85%
  Sikkim	22%	78%
  India	12%	88%

• Boron

  From 11,452 soil tests

  Good
  Short 16% Enough 84%

  2 in 10 soil tests here came out short

  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	16%	84%
  Sikkim	21%	79%
  India	44%	56%

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