Soil Testing importance and profitable benefits in 2024.

 Soil testing is about analyzing the soil to determine its composition, nutrient levels, and other characteristics. In the modern world, this has become crucial to manage fertilizer application and soil health. Without soil testing it becomes difficult to decide the correct dose of fertilizer for optimum crop growth.

What is soil testing ?

Soil testing involves analyzing soil samples to determine following parameters such as:-

1.  Nutrient content – nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulphur, zinc etc level in soil.

2. Organic carbon

3. pH – Acidic or basic soil

4. EC – saline or alkaline soil

5. Soil microbial count and other important characteristics

The goal is to understand the soil’s health and suitability for growing crops or plants. It’s like running a diagnostic to ensure the soil can support optimal plant growth.

What are the objectives of soil testing ?

Soil testing’s main objectives are to:

• To evaluate the fertility and nutrient index of soil.
•  Identify soil acidity or alkalinity problems.
• Check for harmful substances like heavy metals.
• Optimize fertilizer use and prevent overuse and ensure economic efficiency.
• Enhance crop yield and support healthy plant growth.
• Promote environmental health by preventing nutrient runoff and soil degradation.

Why should farmers prefer soil testing ?

Soil testing brings numerous benefits to farmers, notably enhancing soil health and crop growth. By testing soil before the harvest season, farmers can strategize improvements. This process helps by:

• Boosting yields and profitability through precise nutrient provision.
• Ensuring consistent nutrient distribution across fields.
• Promoting uniform crop growth, which strengthens plants against weeds and simplifies processes like cultivation and spraying.
• Achieving uniform plant maturity, streamlining harvesting, drying, and improving market quality.
• Allowing precise nutrient management to optimize fertilizer usage and maximize profit.

In short, soil testing is a key to sustainable and efficient farming.

Rating Chart for Soil Test Data

Nutrient	Low	Medium	High
Organic carbon	<  0.5 %	0.5 – 7.5%	>  0.75%
Available nitrogen ( N)	<  240Kg/ha	240- 480kg/ha	>   480Kg/ha
Available Phosphorus (P)	<  11.0 Kg/ha	11 – 22 Kg/ha	>   22 Kg/ha
Available potassium ( K)	<  110Kg/ha	110-280Kg/ha	>   280Kg/ha
Organic carbon	<  0.5 %	0.5 – 7.5%	>  0.75%
Available nitrogen ( N)	<  240Kg/ha	240- 480kg/ha	>   480Kg/ha

Soil Types	pH
Acids	< 6.0
Normal to Saline	6.0 to 8.5
Tending to become Alkaline	8.9 to 9.0
Alkaline	>   9.0

What is a Soil Health Card?

SHC is a printed report that a farmer will be handed over for each of his holdings. It will contain the status of his soil with respect to 12 parameters, namely N,P,K (Macro-nutrients); S (Secondary- nutrient); Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Bo (Micro – nutrients); and pH, EC, OC (Physical parameters). Based on this, the SHC will also indicate fertilizer recommendations and soil amendment required for the farm.

How can a farmer use a SHC?

The card will contain an advisory based on the soil nutrient status of a farmer’s holding. It will show recommendations on dosage of different nutrients needed. Further, it will advise the farmer on the fertilizers and their quantities he should apply, and also the soil amendments that he should undertake, so as to realize optimal yields.

What is the ideal time for soil sampling?

Soil Samples are taken generally two times in a year, after harvesting of Rabi and Kharif Crop respectively or when there is no standing crop in the field.

Who and Where will the soil sample be tested?

The soil sample will be tested as per the approved standards for all the agreed 12 parameters in the following way:

• At the STLs owned by the Department of Agriculture and by their own staff.
• At the STLs owned by the Department of Agriculture but by the staff of the outsourced agency.
• At the STLs owned by the outsourced agency and by their staff.
• At ICAR Institutions including Krishi Vigyan Kendra , Soil testing laboratory ( Soil Health card ) and SAUs.
• At the laboratories of the Science Colleges/Universities by the students under supervision of a Professor/ Scientist.

What is the payment per sample?

A sum of Rs. 190 per soil sample is provided to State Governments. This covers the cost of collection of soil sample, its test, generation and distribution of soil health card to the farmer.