Carbon Sink Capacity and Agronomic Productivity of Soils of Semiarid Regions of India - Principles of Sustainable Soil Management in Agroecosystems - page 436

status. About 80% of the soils tested are low to medium in available P and 50% in
K (Table 16.6). Similarly among micronutrients, the deficiency is most severe in
Zn, followed by that in iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), and copper (Cu) (Table 16.7).
Thus far, soil fertility issues are mainly focused on irrigated agriculture, but nutrient
deficiencies are also severe in rainfed agriculture (Srinivasarao et al. 2006, 2008a,b;
Srinivasarao and Vittal 2007; Sharma et al. 2002, 2004), which are exacerbated by
low SOC concentrations and multinutrient deficiencies.

TABLE 16.6
Fertility Status of N, P, and K in Some States of India

N P K

No. of Samples
Analyzed State L M H L M H L M H

Madhya Pradesh 1,38,553 40 41 19 39 38 23 10 32 58

Uttar Pradesh 8,07,424 80 15 5 71 26 3 12 55 33

Maharashtra 93,142 67 26 7 86 12 2 8 18 74

Andhra Pradesh 3,12,521 62 21 17 57 29 14 9 30 61

Karnataka 3,17,213 29 37 34 31 48 21 7 32 61

Orissa 2,51,196 60 23 17 59 28 13 33 41 26

Tamil Nadu 4,91,657 75 16 9 24 41 35 12 36 52

India 36,50,004 63 26 11 42 38 20 13 37 50

Source: Motsara, M.R., Fertil News , 47(8), 15-21, 2002.

TABLE 16.7
Micronutrient Deficiencies in Some States of India

Percentage Deficiency of
Available Micronutrients

No. of Samples (Range
of Samples Analyzed
for Different States)

State Zn Fe Cu Mn

Andhra Pradesh 5219-6563 51 2 1 2

Bihar 17,802-19,078 54 6 3 2

Gujarat 29,532 24 8 4 4

Madhya Pradesh 11,204-12,000 63 3 1 3

Tamil Nadu 19,559-20,580 53 15 3 8

Uttar Pradesh 24,425-25,122 45 6 1 3

Karnataka 24,411-25,542 78 39 5 19

Source: Takkar, P.N., Indian Soc Soil Sci , 44, 563-581, 1996.