Progress of Soil and water testing Laboratory of Krishi

Vigyan Kendra, Kapurthala, Punjab

Rajan Bhatt
Assistant Professor (Soil Scinece)
Krishi Vigyan Kendra,Kapurthala
rajanbhatt79@rediffmail.com
(98159-63858)

Soil testing is the only way to determine the fertilizer needs of a crop in a
particular field. Soil test is the analysis of soil sample to determine the available
nutrient status and physico-chemical properties of soil. The prime step in the
soil-testing programme is the collection of soil sample. The fertilizer
recommendations for the field crop are generally given on the basis of only a
small amount of soil used in the laboratories. Actually, the one to ten grams of
soil used for each chemical analysis should represents as accurately as possible
the entire six inches (top six inches) of soil, weighing about one million kilogram
per acre.

Fig 1 Technique to collect soil sample for orchard plantation

Therefore, it is important that soil samples should be a true representative

of the field. Soil sampling for fertilizer recommendation for the field crops is
performed up to a depth of top six inches because the top six inch soil is the
area that has the majority of the root activity and secondly the fertilizer
application and cultivation operations are mainly confined to this depth. While
taking the sample, the surface litter (if any) is removed with a trowel or spade
and the soil is collected from the surface to plough depth (0-6 inches) from 8-9

random spots in a field by giving ‘V’ shape incision. A uniform 2.5cm thick slice
of soil from top to bottom (6 inch depth) is removed and collected in a clean
bucket or wide container. To obtain a representative sample from bulk soil
collected from different spots, the soil is poured from bucket or to a piece of
clean cloth or paper and is mixed thoroughly. Quartering is then performed to
reduce the soil to about 500 g. Quartering is done by mixing sample well,
dividing it into 4 equal parts, then rejecting two opposite quarters, mixing the
remaining two portions, again dividing into 4 equal parts and rejecting two
opposite quarters, and so on. If the soil sample is wet it may be air dried in the
shade before packing it in the cloth bag. Care should be taken to avoid soil
sampling from unusual areas viz. recently fertilized, old bunds, marshy spots,
under the trees, composed pits etc. The cloth bag should be properly marked to
identify soil sample. The information sheet encompassing the information like
name and address of farmer, depth of soil sampling, crop rotation, irrigation
facility, crop history, the fertilizer applied to the previous crop etc. should be
enclosed in the cloth bag.

Soil and water testing Laboratory of Krishi Vigyan

Kendra, Kapurthala,
Soil and water testing lab of KVK, KAPURTHALA starts working the year
2006 and it stood 1st among all the newly opened labs in Punjab and 3rd
among all the outstations of Punjab Agricultural University upto now
followed by Gurdapur and Bathinda (Regional stations) (Source: Annual
reports of zonal office) In the very first year, we received 152 samples from the
farmers of the district which increased considerably from then upto now and this
is because of the awareness created by our KVK among the farmers through the
lectures which we delivered from time to time in the different functions
organized by the state government and by our KVK .

Table no 1. No. of Soils and water samples analyzed by soil and water testing labortary
of KVK, Kapurthala.
 Year No of soil and water samples analyzed Amount obtained and submitted
by the Soil and water testing Lab of after analysing the samples @Rs
KVK., Kapurthala. 20 per sample

2005 Nil Nil

2006 152 3040 = 00
2007 292 5840 = 00
2008 381 7620 = 00
Upto June 2009 455 9100 = 00
Upto June 2010 460 9200 = 00
Total 1740 34,800 = 00

Fig: Graphical representation of performance of soil laboratory from 2006 to June 2010

Table No. 2 Total number of soil and water samples analysed (By charging fee and free
of cost) from 2006 to june 2010.

Sr. No. Soil and water samples Samples analysed free of cost

analysed

1. Free of cost under Front line 353

Demonstartion plots or under
adaptive trials

1740
2. Samples analysed by charging
fee for analysis @Rs 20 per
sample

Total samples analysed free of cost 2093

Soil and water testing laboratory is well functioning at KVK, Kapurthala. Starting

from the functioning of the lab to upto now we had analysed 1740/- samples (Soil and water)

and thus submit Rs. 34,800 = 00 to the higher quarters by charging Rs. 20 per sample as

analysing fee from the farmer. Instead of this, before conducting any FLD or any research

trial, the soil samples of demonstration plots are analyzed for knowing it’s inherent soil
fertility viz. pH, EC, Soil texture, O.C (%), K (Kg/ha) and P (Kg/ha free of cost and fertilizer

recommendations are made accordingly and in this regard upto now analyse 353 soil samples

free of cost for knowing the inherent fertility of the selected plot. Thus, a total of 2093

samples were analysed by this lab so far. We had also prepared the Soil Fertility Map of

KVK instructional farm after analyzing 100 soil samples (20 samples from 5 blocks). In

addition, 100 samples of adopted village viz. Blerkhanpur were analyzed free of cost. Soil

testing so far revealed that potash is now becoming to be a deficient nutrient in most of our

soils because of the continue removal of this nutrient in our paddy-wheat cropping system.

Organic carbon in 95% samples is in low range (<0.4%). As far phosphorus is concerned, it

is observed that 75% samples fell into low phosphorous category (available potash <5

kg/acre) and 25% came in the medium range (available potash 5-9 kg/acre). Further, it is

analysed that 60% of the soil samples of the farmers, whereas 74% of the selected Front

Line Demonstration Plots were low in potash. Thus, inherent fertility of soils is declining

day by day.

Tips for improving the inherent soil fertility:

• Get your soil tested before sowing the crop and apply fertilizers on the basis of
inherent fertility of your soil.
• Go for Green manuring with sunhemp and cowpea instead of dhaincha after wheat
harvesting.
• Go for integrated nutrient management by using organic manures along with chemical
fertilizers.
• Prepare Farm yard manure with pit method instead of throwing it in the roadside.