SOIL HEALTH STATUS OF MEGHALAYA (Directorate of Agriculture, Meghalaya)

BACKGROUND LAND AND SOIL RESOURCES Meghalaya being hilly in topography, therefore arable or cultivated lands consists both in in hilltop/plateau, side slopes of hills, inter hill valleys, and also flat or nearly level lands.  Total gross cropped area = ha  Area sown more than once=54236 ha.  Net sown area= ha  Total households = nos. (as per figures)

Category of cultivated lands: I. FLAT LANDS (0 TO 2 % SLOPES) CROPPING PATTERN 1.INTER HILL VALLEYS 2.FOOTHILL PLAINS BORDERING ASSAM & BANGALADESH Paddy followed by vegetables (tomato, cole crops, peas). Paddy – pulses Paddy – rapeseed/mustard Paddy – paddy (boro paddy). Paddy followed by potato Paddy followed by maize. Paddy – oil seeds Jute,. Sugarcane Etc.

II.CULTIVATED HILL SLOPES TYPE OF SLOPING LANDSCROPPING PATTERN 1.Plateau/hilltop- gentle slopes to moderate slopes (3 -8 %) 2.Terraces - moderate slopes (up to %) 3.Hill side with moderately steep slopes (15 -30%) i.Maize – soybean ii.Maize – legumes (beans, peas) iii.Maize - millets iv.Potato – maize. v.Potato – legumes vi.Potato - vegetables, vii.Horticultural orchards (citrus, pineapple, banana, guava, strawberry, litchi etc.) viii. Plantations (Tea, betel leaf, areca nut, rubber, spice like ginger, turmeric, black pepper etc).

SOIL HEALTH: Status of soils: – Physic-chemical properties: Acidic pH: Most soils have pH between 4.8 to 6.0 Low CEC (5 – 15 c mol (P + ) kg -1 soil and, low base saturation (15 to 35 %). Light to Medium: – loamy texture. – Plant Nutrient status: High Organic Carbon: Due to mild climate the OC content of soils are high (most samples falls between 1.5 to 3 %). Therefore the dominant portion of plant nutrients exists in organic form. However – availability to plant roots depends on mineralization rates.

Macro and Micro nutrients: (3 yrs. av ) Available Macro Nutrients: Soil Analysis Results indicate Available Micro Nutrient status ZincCopperIronManganese Molybdenum & Boron 66.1 % of samples below critical level HighVery high34.25 % of samples below critical level. Reports of deficiency symptoms occurrence. PHOSPHORUSPOTASSIUMEXCHANGEABLE BASES (Ca & Mg) Maximum samples falls under LOW Maximum samples fall under LOW TO MEDIUM LOW

CHALLENGES TO SOIL AND PLANT HEALTH : REDUCING TREND OF OM IN CULTIVATED SOILS: soils analysis results, indicate a reducing trends of SOM in cultivated soils – down to below 1.5 in many samples, from a high reference of 2.5 to 3.0 in uncultivated or virgin soils RISING CROPPING INTENSITY: - Cropping intensity in the state is about 119 % (total gross cropped area ha. against net area of ha. as per figures of ), However, in certain districts like East Khasi Hills, which has maximum area of horticulture crop production, farmers are cultivating up to 2 even 3 crops in a calendar year, putting pressure on the soil ability to supply essential plant nutrients. INCREASE AREA UNDER HYV: Can lead to higher Nutrient Removal Rate by crop.

Other factors: Low pH: –Fixation of P, low solubility of other nutrients, Iron toxicity. High intensity rainfall – leads to leaching of basic cations – Ca, Mg, and K. High slopes: -erosion loss of top soils and plant nutrients. Substantial quantity in soils indicating deficiency in Micro nutrients like - Zn, Mn, and Boron.

CURRENT PRACTICES OF SOIL HEALTH MANAGEMENT: In the current situation, the state department of Agriculture recommended following of INM practices for Soil and Plant Health Management based on Soil Test Results. I. Application of Lime to raise the soil pH: II.Nutrient Recycling: convert bio-wastes to manure (farm level) III.Application of external sources of Nutrients: i.FYM, Vermin compost. ii.Chemical Fertilizers: (UREA, DAP, SSP, MOP) iii.Micro Nutrients Fertilizers: (Zn, Mn, Mo, straight and multi-nutrients) iv.Bio-fertilizers: v.Crop rotation IV. Soil Health Monitoring.

AREA UNDER CROPS (RABI SEASON), area in hectares Sl. No. Name of the Crops * 1CEREALS (INCLUDING MILLETS) PULSES OIL SEEDS (soybean, rapeseed) CITRUS FRUITS TUBERS SPICES OTHER CROPS PLANTATIONS TOTAL *Estimated

REQUIREMENT OF PLANT NUTRIENTS FERTILIZER CONSUMPTION (in tonnes) Type of Fertilizers (Estimated) KHARIFFRABITOTALKHARIFFRABI UREA DAP SSP MOP Micro Nutrient --NA-

Alternative to Chemical Fertilizers Sl. No. Type of Fertilizers (Estimated) Natural Mineral Sources 1Rock Phosphate- 2Dolomite lime-20, Micro Nutrient sources-- 4Bio- FertilizerTotal 5Azotobacter, Azospirillum Rhizobium PSB Org. Manure150, , Vermi-comp Other comp GREEN MANURES-

Soil Health Monitoring: – Soil Testing & Soil Health Cards: The state has established STLs and MSTLs with capacity to analyzed approximately 30, 000 nos. of soil samples annually, and to provide farmers with Soil Health Cards. STLs – 3 nos. MSTL (2012) – 3 nos. – Online Soil Health Cards: From the year 2012, the state has started to also provide online of SHC for faster delivery to farmers. (The software is also MIS enabled for data storage and analysis).

CONSTRAINTS: Availability and relatively high cost of FYM and chemical fertilizers. Unbalance and injudicious application of Fertilizers: Farmers lack of awareness and apathy to Soil Testing and Soil Health Management, crop rotation: Unavailability of alternatives to chemical fertilizers: Ever increasing cropping intensity:

VISION AND STRATEGY FOR SOIL HEALTH MANAGEMENT I.Striving towards Sustainability/Organics: – Building up Organic Matter Content in the soils: (Need to produce about 1.5 million tonnes of Organic manure annually from various sources). 1)Crop residue recycling: 2)Farm and Household organic waste recycling: Construction of composting units. 3) Composting pit in every farm household. 4)Explore all sources of organic manures, including Farm and City/Town waste compost. II. Setting up of Agro waste processing Plant: To convert organic waste into compost. The state is seeking assistance from the center under the Soil Health Mission for setting up of 2 plants (3000 TPA).

III. Promote use of natural occurring minerals for use as soil amendment's & nutrient sources: 1)Rock Phosphate, 2)Dolomite/lime IV.Promote the use of bio-fertilizers: 1)N – fixing (azospirillum, azotobacter, rhizobium) Azolla. 2)P – solubilizers V. Establish carrier based bio-fertiliser production (The state has also sought assistance under Soil Health Mission for setting up of carrier base bio- fertilizer production plant and quality control laboratory – 200 TPA)

V.Crop Rotation with legumes: The state must look at ways to promote growing of legumes for maintaining the fertility of the soils. – CROPPING PATTERN INVOLVING GROWING OF HEAVY FEEDER FOOD GRAINS MUST BE FOLLOWED BY LEGUMES NEED HELPS OF RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS a)ICARNEH, b)CENTRAL AGRICULTURE UNIVERSITY. – Research and development of suitable pulses varieties, suitable for growing in off season/rabi season that can utilized residual soil moisture. CREATION OF AWARENESS

VI.SOIL CONSERVATION: COVER CROPS/GREEN MANURE - check Soil erosion in rainy season. VII.SOIL HEALTH MONITORING: The state is exploring steps to upgrade the capacity of existing Soil Testing Laboratories and setting up of more STLs, for monitoring the health of the soils, giving guidance to farmers, as well as converting data as useful information for future planning. 1)Routine soil testing. 2)Soil Health Cards for all farmers – households 3)Soil Fertility maps – (District, Block fertility maps to be created with facilities available under SHM, SHCM) a. Districts where fertility maps under preparation: 1 No. b. Districts proposed under SHCM ( ): 2 Nos. c. Remaining districts: 8 Nos.