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Indian J. Fert., Vol. 11 (7), pp. 52-63 (12 pages)

Mapping Current Micronutrients Deficiencies in Soils ofUttarakhand for Precise Micronutrient Management

Arvind K. Shukla, P.C. Srivastava1, Pankaj K. Tiwari, Chandra Prakash,Ashok K. Patra, Pooja Singh and S.D. Pachauri1

Indian Institute of Soil Science, Bhopal1G. B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar

arvindshukla2k3@yahoo.co.in

Content of micronutrients and their ability to supply to crop vary widely depending upon soil types, nature of cropsgrown, ecology and agro climatic variability. Total levels of micronutrients are rarely indicative of plant availability,hence, rational management of micronutrient fertility and toxicity requires an understanding of how plant-availablesoil micronutrients vary across the soils. Soils deficient in their ability to supply micronutrients to crops are alarminglywidespread across the Uttarakhand State, and this problem is aggravated by the fact that many modern cultivars ofmajor crops are highly sensitive to low micronutrient levels. Although micronutrient deficiencies (Zn-9.6, Mn-4.7,Fe-1.4, Cu-1.4, B-7.0 and Mo-0.9%) in Uttarakhand are much lower than the national average due to low pH, highorganic carbon and favorable climate. However, frequency distribution of micronutrients into various categoryshowed that large area in the state has potential to be deficient in future, which may respond to micronutrientapplications. In order to understand the geographic distribution of available micronutrient content in soil of thestate, soil micronutrient maps have been developed using GPS and GIS to improve our understanding regardingnature and extent of micronutrient deficiencies and their response to crop growth and development. The mapsrevealed that soils deficient in zinc, boron and manganese also exhibited crop response from 3.0 to 36%. However,deficiency of Fe, Cu and Mo is negligible. These maps and frequency distribution of available micronutrient contentin soils will be highly useful in assessing fields’ scale variability for developing site-specific precision micronutrientsmanagement for better human and livestock health of Uttarakhand.

INTRODUCTION

Uttarakhand- a hilly state of thecountry and majority of area instate is covered with forests(64%). About 14% area is undercultivation with various food andhorticultural crops (26). Major soilzones of the state are Hill Soils,Bhabhar Soils and Tarai Soils.However, agricultural land isconfined particularly in UdhamSingh Nagar and southern part ofDehradun and Nainital andHaridwar districts at foothills ofHimalayas, is particularly knownas Bhabhar and Tarai region. Hillsoils are brown to grayish brownand dark grey in colour andmoderately acidic to neutral inreaction. The major soillimitations of hill soils are highlyporous with low moistureretention capacity, moderate tosevere erosion prone and terracecultivation at steep slopes. TheBhabhar (which means coarsestony and porous material) soilsare shallow with loamy sand to

loam textures containingabundant quantities of gravel andstones in sub surface (26). Waterpercolation through profile isvery rapid; nutrient and moistureretention capacity is low. Taraisoils are thick and very fertilewith medium to heavy texture,imperfect to moderate drainage,dark colored and high in organicmatter, cation exchange capacityand nutrient holding capacity.Taxonomically these soils belongto great groups of Mollisols,Inceptisols, Entisols and Alfisolssoil orders. Cultivation is mainlyconfined to Kharif season but onavailability of irrigation Rabicrops are also grown.

Wheat, rice, barley, minor millet,sugarcane, potato and lentil are themajor crops of the hills. The maincrops grown in Bhabhar and Tarairegion are rice, wheat, sugarcane,maize and pulses. Soybeancultivation has also picked up inthese regions especially, in theBhabar soils. Gram and lentil are

the major pulse crops while toria isthe major oilseed crop of theregions. Tarai soils needimprovement in drainage forsuccessful production of crops likemaize, soybean, arhar, etc. Thefertiliser application in the stateis very poor hence it has beendeclared as ‘Organic state’ byGovernment of Uttarakhand.However, intensification ofagriculture without replenishmentof nutrients to soil causesproduction fatigue in these areas.

Although in the field scale Zndeficiency in Indian agriculturewas first reported by Y.L. Nene in1966 from Pantnagar soils (15). Butin recent years, acreage undermicronutrients’ deficiency hasincreased due to imbalanced use offertilisers, low use of organicmanure and poor replenishment ascompared to crop demand (24).Now the deficiency of zinc (Zn),iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) havebeen emerging and posing threatsto sustain food productivity,

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particularly in areas where highyielding rice, maize and wheatcultivars are grown.Micronutrient deficiencies arenow frequently observed inoilseed, pulse and vegetable cropsalso (18).

In order to manage soilmicronutrient deficiencies andtoxicity there is need tounderstand level of micronutrientsin soil and its distribution fordeveloping micronutrientsmanagement options, which inturn result in to sustainableagriculture and better livestockproduction (27). Maps showingdifferent levels of availablemicronutrient content would beuseful for assessing micronutrientdeficiencies in soil-plants-animal/humans continuum (28). Mapsdepicting micronutrientdeficiencies status may be used forunderstanding, in generalizedterms, how regional micronutrientdeficiencies may affect cropproduction, livestock and humanhealth. Such maps can also beuseful in examining how soilmicronutrient content andavailability relate to climate, soilproperties, or soil geneticcharacteristics. These maps willalso be useful in distribution ofmicronutrients fertiliser as perfarmers’ need. Thus, in this paperefforts have been made todevelop the micronutrients statusmaps, their deficiencies andinfluence on crop yield andnutrient uptake. Frequencydistribution of micronutrients hasbeen also attempted in order todevelop site specificmicronutrients fertiliserrecommendation for differentdeficiency levels.

Soil Sampling, Analysis andPreparation of Deficiency Maps

A total of 2575 surface soil samples(0-15 cm depth) were collectedcovering all the talukas anddistricts of the state using multistratified random samplingtechnique during the year 2010-2014. The sampling size variedwith the size of the district, croppedarea and cropping intensity from

all 13 districts of the state, viz.,Almora (177), Bageshwar (125),Chamoli (200), Champawat (200),Dehradun (200), Haridwar (200),Nainital (147), Pauri Garhwal(200), Pithoragarh (202),Rudraprayag (200), Tehri Garhwal(200), U.S. Nagar (324) andUttarakashi (200).

The soil samples were dulyprocessed and analysed formicronutrients (Zn, Fe, Mn, Cu, Band Mo) by adopting standardprotocols for soil analysis.Analysis of Zn, Fe, Mn and Cu, wasperformed using DiethyleneTriamine Penta Acetic Acid (0.005DTPA+0.1 M Triethanolamine and0.01M CaCl2 solution buffer) asoutlined by Lindsay and Norwell(1978) while hot water soluble Bwas analysed utilizing methodssuggested by Berger and Truog(1939) and Mo was analysed byammonium oxalate pH 3.3. TheSoil micronutrients maps wereprepared using in Arc GIS todemarcate level of deficiency invarious region of the district.Critical limits used to categorizedlevel of deficiency were 0.60 mgkg-1 soil for DTPA-extractable Zn,4.50 mg kg-1 soil for DTPA-extractable Fe, 0.20 mg kg-1 soil forDTPA-extractable Cu, 3.50 mg kg-1

soil for DTPA-extractable Mn, 0.45mg kg-1 soil for hot water solubleB and 0.10 mg kg-1 for availableMo in soil.

SOIL MICRONUTRIENTSSTATUS

A. Delineation and Mapping ofMicronutrients Deficiency

The availability of micronutrientsis particularly sensitive tochanges in soil environment andfactors that affect the contents ofsuch micronutrients are organicmatter, soil pH, lime content, sand,silt, and clay contents, and othermicronutrients. The nature andextent of micronutrientdeficiencies vary with soil type,crop genotype, management andagro-ecological situations(21, 27).

1. DTPA-Zn

Zinc deficiency in crops is the most

common micronutrient problemworld over. Therefore Znmalnutrition has become a majorhealth burden among the resourcepoor people (17). Zn soil is anindex of Zn content in foddersand grain, which significantly relyon available Zn content in soils(20). The critical limits used for Znin the study was 0.6 mg kg-1 soilhowever it varies with soil andcrop types and in Tarai soil thecritical limit below which cropshowed response to Znapplication in rice was 1.20 mgkg -1 soil. For clear prediction ofpossible deficiencies, their criticallimits have to be refined withreference to the soil characteristicsand plant parts for individualcrops as the soils and cropsvary widely in their nutrientsupplying and utilizationefficiency.

Systematic survey and analysis of2575 soil samples analysed underthe aegis of AICRP-MSPEindicated deficiency of Zn to theextent of 9.6% however, status ofmicronutrients vary with soiltypes, agro-ecological zones andmore importantly managementand productivity of crops andcropping systems (16). AlthoughZn deficiency in Uttarakhand ismuch below the national averageof 43%. The reason for low Zndeficiency in Uttarakhand is lowlevel of soil pH, favourableecology and regular use of Znfertiliser. About 1,825 tonnes zincsulphate is used in state tomitigate Zn deficiency in soil (4).Although the total Zn contentin soil may be higher butavailable Zn was not very high asit ranged from 0.03-25.86 mg kg-1

soil across the state. Among the13 districts, the highest Zndeficiency was recorded in U. S.Nagar and Nainital district (18-20%) while no Zn deficiency wasreported in Bageshwar district.The Zn deficiency was less thanfive percent in Pithoragarh(Table 1 and Map 1). The Zndeficiency in the soils of Almora,Chamoli, Champawat, PauriGarhwal, Rudraprayag andTehri Garhwal districts, rangedfrom 5-10%.

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2. DTPA- Fe

Fe is another limitingmicronutrient for crops as plant Fedeficiency is known to occur sincelong in many parts of the countryin Indian soils. After oxygen,silicon and aluminium, Fe ispresent in large quantities as itconstitutes about 3-5% of soil,making it fourth most abundantelement of the Earth crust.

However, most of the Fe in soils isunavailable for plant absorption(11). Fe solubility increases withreduction in soil pH. Since themost of soils of Uttarakhandhave pH less than 7.0 hence,deficiency of Fe is very less in thesesoils. However, continuousgrowing of crops without Fereplenishment is resulting inreduction of available Fe levelsin these soils. Usually Feavailability is generally high inacid soils but due to antagonisticrelation with Cu, Zn, Mn andphosphate ions renders the plantwith non-availability of Fe.

Metabolically, Fe is essential forchlorophyll and proteinformation, photosynthesis,electron transfer, oxidation andreduction of nitrates and

sulphates and other enzymeactivities. Its deficiency causesinterveinal chlorosis in newlyemerging young leaves due toreduced chlorophyll synthesisresulting in poor growth and lossin yield (12). Among crops, Feresponse was frequently noticed insugarcane and upland rice, pulsesand horticultural crops grown inUttarakhand. However, Fe status

in soils of Uttarakhand state is nota serious concern except in uplandrice and some horticulture crops.The Fe deficiency in the stateranged from 0-5% with an averageof 1.4% (Table 1 and Map 2). Thereare only three districts where Fedeficiency varies from 4-5% whileavailable Fe status in all otherdistricts is sufficient to meet thecrop requirements.

3. DTPA-Mn

The total manganese content insoil have been reported to be veryhigh in soils of Uttarakhand.However, its availability becomesa problem in sandy loam soilswhich frequently undergoeswetting and drying. Moreover, theavailability/solubility dependsupon the parent material,geomorphic, physico-chemical,biological processes of soil thatcontrol the total Mn content aswell as its distribution in soils andsupply to crops grown on it . InIndia, the deficiency of Mn hasbeen observed in light texturedand calcareous soils (9, 17).

The DTPA-Mn in the surface soilsof Uttarakhand varied from 0.02-133.25 mg kg-1 soil with an overalldeficiency of 4.7% (Table 2 and

Map 1 – Status and distribution of DTPA-extractable Zn in the different districts of Uttarakhand

Map 2 – Status and distribution of DTPA-extractable Fe in the different districts of Uttarakhand

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Map 3). Out of 13 districts of thestate, soils of districtsRudraprayag showed maximumdeficiency (21.5%), followed byChamoli (14.0%), Haridwar (5.5%),Nainital (4.1%), Champawat(2.50%) Dehradun (2.0%). Mndeficiency in all other districtswas recorded negligible (<1.5%).

4. DTPA-Cu

The DTPA-extractable Cu in soilsof Uttarakhand ranged from 0.02-20.86 mg kg -1 soil and overalldeficiency was observed to be 1.4% (Table 2 and Map 4).Moreover, none of the districtsshowed Cu deficiency more than5%. The deficiency in Champawat(3.5%), Chamoli (3.0%), PauriGarhwal (3.0%), Rudraprayag(3.0%), Almora (1.7%), Dehradun(1.5%) and Nainital (0.7%) districtshas been observed to be less than5% (Table 2).

HWS-B

Boron (B) is a unique non-metalmicronutrient required for normalgrowth and development ofplants. It is mobile in soils andmore often gets leached down thesoil profile with excess moisture. Bdeficiency and toxicity range isvery narrow. Boron concentrationand its bioavailability in soils isaffected by several factorsincluding parent material, texture,nature of clay minerals, pH, liming,organic matter content, sources ofirrigation, interrelationship withother elements, and environmentalconditions like moderate to heavyrainfall, dry weather and high lightintensity (13).

Therefore, knowledge of thesefactors affecting B uptake isessential for the assessment of Bdeficiency and toxicity underdifferent conditions. Uponmineralization from organicmatter or B addition to soilsthrough irrigation or application offertilisers, a proportion of itremains in the soil solution whileremaining is absorbed by soilparticles and other soilconstituents. Boron deficiency in

Table 1 – Available zinc and iron status (DTPA-extractable) in soils ofdifferent districts of Uttarakhand

District DTPA-Zn DTPA-Fe Range Mean±SE PSD Range Mean±SE PSD

Almora 0.39-14.18 1.93±0.14 5.6 6.45-82.88 27.29±1.43 0.0

Bageshwar 0.57-23.90 2.98±0.28 0.8 1.47-53.81 24.45±1.01 0.8

Chamoli 0.21-25.86 3.35±0.29 7.0 7.46-283.62 77.65±5.19 0.0

Champawat 0.29-25.52 3.54±0.26 6.0 7.94-193.66 42.69±1.47 0.0

Dehradun 0.29-19.28 2.47±0.21 10.0 2.83-62.80 20.78±0.92 1.5

Haridwar 0.17-12.14 2.02±0.12 10.0 1.70-124.70 29.17±1.52 4.0

Nainital 0.30-16.43 2.43±0.25 18.4 3.69-160.21 45.64±3.26 0.7

Pauri Garhwal 0.28-22.09 4.20±0.36 6.0 3.73-688.39 217.13±9.06 0.5

Pithoragarh 0.14-17.86 3.14±0.22 3.5 3.48-53.58 18.01±0.81 3.5

Rudraprayag 0.11-17.18 2.83±0.20 5.5 0.47-106.14 26.13±1.60 5.0

Tehri Garhwal 0.21-18.14 2.77±0.21 9.5 3.74-79.32 26.60±1.23 0.5

U. S. Nagar 0.03-12.70 1.66±0.08 19.4 2.65-110.28 31.19±1.24 0.9

Uttarakashi 0.15-17.11 2.79±0.23 16.0 6.75-128.99 55.34±2.10 0.0

Uttarakhand 0.03-25.86 2.73±0.06 9.6 0.47-688.39 49.49±1.35 1.4

Table 2 – Available copper and manganese status (DTPA-extractable) in soilsof different districts of Uttarakhand

District DTPA-Mn DTPA-Cu Range Mean±SE PSD Range Mean±SE PSD

Almora 2.49-53.45 18.27±0.73 0.6 0.08-6.86 0.95±0.06 1.7

Bageshwar 0.10-54.15 19.40±1.17 1.6 0.34-4.17 1.47±0.08 0.0

Chamoli 0.78-133.25 15.74±1.23 14 0.02-9.86 1.63±0.10 3.0

Champawat 0.02-74.31 18.49±0.82 2.5 0.05-4.68 1.48±0.06 3.5

Dehradun 0.23-54.53 22.84±1.00 2.0 0.18-7.88 1.11±0.08 1.5

Haridwar 1.84-63.24 17.56±0.99 5.5 0.15-20.86 1.19±0.11 1.0

Nainital 1.38-55.47 14.42±0.82 4.1 0.15-10.79 1.93±0.12 0.7

Pauri Garhwal 3.38-62.14 29.23±1.06 0.5 0.13-9.51 1.31±0.09 3.0

Pithoragarh 1.67-54.58 20.08±0.83 1.5 0.06-8.26 1.68±0.09 1.0

Rudraprayag 0.03-64.42 12.39±0.89 21.5 0.11-4.82 1.63±0.07 3.0

Tehri Garhwal 1.99-55.86 18.95±1.03 4.5 0.38-14.96 2.25±0.17 0.0

U. S. Nagar 1.37-68.73 17.12±0.56 1.2 0.32-12.44 1.85±0.07 0.0

Uttarakashi 1.96-80.52 29.94±1.34 2.5 0.23-7.98 2.42±0.11 0.0

Uttarakhand 0.02-133.25 19.58±0.28 4.7 0.02-20.86 1.62±0.03 1.4

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soils of the state has been recordedto be 7.0% (Table 3). Among the 13districts, the highest B deficiencywas recorded in Tehri Garhwal(43%) followed by Uttarakashi(15.5%), Pithoragarh (12.4%) andPauri Garhwal (10.5%),Rudraprayag (4.0%), Dehradun(2.0%) and Haridwar (1.5%)districts. Soil samples collectedfrom Almora Bageshwar, Chamoli,Champawat and Nainital did not

show B deficiency (Table 3 and Map5).

5. Available Mo

Mo availability is adequate inIndian soils, however, its deficiencyin plants may be observed inhighly leached acidic soils. Theavailable Mo content inUttarakhand soils varied from0.011 to 9.15 mg kg-1 with an

average of 1.11±0.020 mg kg-1 soil.Out of 13 districts, Mo deficiencyhas been observed in soils ofPithoragarh (4.46%), Dehradun(4.0%), Tehri Garhwal (1.50%),Nainital (0.68%), Pauri Garhwal(0.50%) and Rudraprayag (0.50%)(Table 3). Low molybdenum statusis reported in north eastern highrainfall zone of Uttarakhand. SoilpH is one of the most importantfactors that affect the availabilityof Mo to plants. As pH decreases,the absorption of Mo increases andmaximum absorption of Mo isreported to take place at pH 4. SoilpH in most of the district ofUttarakhand is acidic to neutralin reaction. However, Modeficiency in the state was recordedin only 1.0% soil samples (Table 3and Map 6).

Availability of Mo is alsoinfluenced by sesquioxide ratioand organic matter content insoil. Adsorption of Mo ispositively correlated with Fe andAl oxides and negativelycorrelated with organic mattercontent (22). Since Uttarakhandsoils are high in organic matter,availability of Mo is not a seriousconcern. Dissolved Mo in soilsolutions is the result of ioncomplexation, adsorptiondesorption, precipitation anddissolution processes whichultimately govern the solubility,availability and mobility of Mo insoils. There are interactionsbetween Mo and a number ofnutrients, such as sulphur,nitrogen, phosphorus and copperthat can affect its plantavailability. Although Mo isimportant for both plants andanimals but report shows thathigh concentrations of Mo in soildid not show gain in crop yield.Feeding of large crops,containing Mo in excess of 10 mgkg-1, when fed to ruminants, canproduce severe Mo toxicity (Moinduced Cu deficiency). Unlikeother micronutrients, Mo isreadily translocated and itsdeficiency symptoms generallyappear on the whole plant.Adequate Mo prevent dentalcaries, mouth and gumdisorders, esophageal cancer and

Map 3 – Status and distribution of DTPA-extractable Mn in the different districts of Uttarakhand

Map 4 – Status and distribution of DTPA-extractable Cu in the different districts of Uttarakhand

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sexual impotence in old people.

B. Frequency Distribution ofMicronutrients and FertiliserNeed

Usually crops respond toapplication of micronutrients onlywhen the level of micronutrients isbelow critical limits, butsometimes crops may also respondto micronutrients even when levelof micronutrients is above criticallimit. This indicates that cropresponse varied to micronutrientsapplication depending upon croptype, soil type and agro climate ofthe region (18). Hence, distributionof micronutrients into differentcategory range is useful in makingmicronutrients fertiliserrecommendation.

Frequency Distribution of Zn

Soils having Zn content < 0.6 mgkg -1are categorized as deficientwhile those falling between 0.6 to1.20 mg kg -1are considered asmedium in Zn supply and thoseabove 1.50 mg kg-1 are classed ashigh Zn soils. In order to developbetter nutrient prescription, it isuseful to categorize samples in tomore frequency ranges. Of thetotal samples analysed for Zn inthe state, 1.7% samples fall in acuteZn deficient category (< 0.3 mgkg-1) and 7.9% in deficient category(0.3 to 0.6 mg kg-1) which showedwide response to Zn application.Samples having Zn levels between0.6-0.9 mg kg -1 are consideredpotentially susceptible to deficientin near future (Figure 1). Nowfarmers are applying maintenancedose of Zn in this category soils asawareness created throughfrontline demonstration underAICRP-MSN project in the state.About 11.4% soils (having >0.9 to1.2 mg Zn kg -1 soil) classed asmoderate Zn deficient maypotentially respond to Znapplication depending upon thetype of crops grown and agro-climatic conditions. About 54% ofthe soils of the state are havingvery high level of Zn content (>1.5mg kg -1 soil) and thus, Znapplication to these soils may beskipped. However, in soils whichhave available Zn level between

Map 5 – Status and distribution of HWS- Boron in the different districts of Uttarakhand

Table 3 – Available boron and molybdenum status in soils of different districts of Uttarakhand

District Available B Available Mo

Range Mean±SE PSD Range Mean±SE PSD

Almora 0.72-3.28 1.76±0.05 0.0 0.126-8.628 0.994±0.087 0.00

Bageshwar 0.57-6.13 2.59±0.12 0.0 0.313-7.386 1.448±0.120 0.00

Chamoli 0.76-5.35 2.03±0.05 0.0 0.121-1.485 0.383±0.016 0.00

Champawat 0.75-3.81 1.78±0.06 0.0 0.238-8.559 0.998±0.088 0.00

Dehradun 0.03-2.45 1.12±0.03 2.0 0.060-8.130 0.910±0.099 4.00

Haridwar 0.41-5.85 2.70±0.07 1.5 0.229-9.150 0.946±0.085 0.00

Nainital 0.61-3.91 2.04±0.05 0.0 0.011-7.205 0.930±0.083 0.68

Pauri Garhwal 0.03-3.07 1.10±0.04 10.5 0.056-4.792 1.823±0.077 0.50

Pithoragarh 0.38-5.31 1.56±0.06 12.4 0.095-3.149 0.762±0.041 4.46

Rudraprayag 0.08-10.75 1.85±0.10 4.0 0.096-7.550 2.139±0.105 0.50

Tehri Garhwal 0.03-3.87 0.76±0.05 43.0 0.040-4.950 1.171±0.072 1.50

U. S. Nagar 0.43-14.72 2.45±0.11 0.9 0.122-1.845 0.580±0.020 0.00

Uttarakashi 0.13-2.22 0.82±0.02 15.5 0.163-5.788 1.749±0.076 0.00

Uttarakhand 0.03-14.72 1.74±0.02 7.0 0.011-9.150 1.11±0.020 0.90

>1.2 to < 1.5 mg Zn kg-1 may be givenonly Zn maintenance doses oncein three years to sustain yieldlevel as well as soil Zn reserve.

Frequency Distribution of Fe

Regarding Fe, soil samples havingFe content above 7.5 mg kg-1

soil are classed as sufficientcategory. Crops grown in suchsoils do not respond to Feapplication and soils containing Fe<3.5 mg kg-1 soil are grouped in toFe deficient category. In state ,above 2.6% soil samples aredeficient and 3.8% samples fall inthe range of >5.5- 7.5 mg Fe kg-1

soil are considered as potentiallydeficient category (Figure 2).Intensive cropping, particularlywith horticultural and corncrops in these soils may exhibitFe deficiency in crops, ifmaintenance doses are notprovided. About 84% soils arehaving enough Fe content insoil to support the intensivefarming provided sufficientmoisture should be available inthe fields.

Frequency Distribution of Mn andCu

The frequency distribution of the

Mn in soils of the state revealedthat about 1.7% of the samplescontained a Mn level below the 2.0mg Mn kg-1 soil. Further, about4.2% samples fall in the range of2.0 to 4.0 mg Mn kg-1 soil may beconsidered potentially deficient infuture. About 71.8% soils of thestate having Mn content morethan 10.0 mgkg -1 are consideredsufficient to meet the cropdemand for longer period (Figure3).

Of total analysed soil samples,1.4% samples contained <0.2 mg Cukg-1 soil may be considered asresponsive category whileanother 5.7% samples fall in thecategory of >0.2-0.4 mg Cu kg-1

soil, may be potentiallysusceptible to Cu deficiency infuture (Figure 4). More than 62%soils in the state have very highlevel Cu, which can meet crop

Map 6 – Status and distribution of Available Mo in the different districts of Uttarakhand

Figure 1 – Frequency distribution of Zn availability in soils of Uttarakhand state

Figure 2 – Frequency distribution of Fe availability in soils of Uttarakhand state

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demand in future for longerperiod.

Frequency Distribution of B

For B, soil samples having Bcontent less than 0.30 mg kg-1areconsidered as acute deficient andthose fall between 0.3 to 0.5 mgkg-1 soils are grouped as deficientcategory. On average, 4.1% of soilsamples fall in acute B deficientcategory and 3.3% soil samplesfall in deficient category. About6.5% samples falling in the rangeof 0.5 to 0.7 mg kg -1 B arecategorized as marginal categoryand such soils did not show Bdeficiency in crops except some colecrops, which respond to Bapplication. Samples having Bcontent >0.7-0.9 mg B kg-1 soil aregrouped into adequate B categorylevel (9.0%). The samples having Bcontent above >0.9 mg kg-1 soil areclassed as high B soils and thereis no need of external Bapplication at present (Figure 5).

Frequency Distribution of Mo

There are very few soils showingMo deficiency. Soils contain Molevels below 0.10 mg kg -1 areclassed as acute deficiencycategory and only 1% soil samplesfall in this category. Soils havingMo content between 0.10 to 0.20mg kg -1 are considered aspotentially deficient in future, ifintensive cultivation is continuedwithout replenishment ofmaintenance doses of Mo. Largearea (63.8%) is having more thanadequate level of Mo, which donot need Mo application in nearfuture.

C. Multiple MicronutrientsDeficiency

In the preceding sections,individual micronutrients havebeen dealt in detail, however;micronutrient deficiencies rarelyoccur in isolation (6, 7). Therefore,in soil plant system, there mayoften be a need to address severalmicronutrient deficienciessimultaneously. However, in soilsof Uttarakhand multiplemicronutrients deficiency has not

Figure 3 – Frequency distribution of Mn availability in soils of Uttarakhand state

Figure 4 – Frequency distribution of Cu availability in soils of Uttarakhand state

Figure 5 – Frequency distribution of B availability in soils of Uttarakhand state

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Table 4 – Response of Crops to Application of Micronutrient

Crop Nutrient Response (%)Hybrid rice- wheat Zn 10.7-10.8Pearl millet- wheat Zn 14.30-14.94Mustard Zn 22.9Groundnut Zn 16.1Soybean Zn 20.2-38.3Lentil Zn 8.3-34.8Hybrid rice- wheat B 7.4 -10.4Soybean B 28.1-37.7Lentil B 1.0-22.0Tomato B 8.5-9.85Okra B 174

been observed (data not show)except some soil showingcombined deficiency of Zn andB.

D. Crop Response andMicronutrients Management

Plants differ in theirmicronutrient requirements andresponse depending upon soiltype, crop/plant types, agroclimatic effect, field variability,crop sensitivity and other soilfactors (1). The response tomicronutrients is often lesspredictable than response tomacronutrients. Sometimes,dramatic responses tomicronutrients may be seen if thenutrient is deficient, but usually,responses are measured in termsof incremental yield gain orquality improvements (25).Micronutrient chemistry in the soilis complex and there arenumerous interactions with othernutrients and environmentalconditions. While predictability ofmicronutrient response may beless than some other nutrients, itcan be improved by consideringthe interactions with some of thefactors affecting crop nutrientresponse (19). Commonly, soilmicronutrient levels varydramatically across a field andnatural or man-caused fieldvariability often affects cropresponse to micronutrients. Thesedifferences may be associated withchanges in soil pH, soil organicmatter, top soil thickness,drainage and landscape position.Grid sampling has identifiedsignificant areas of fields that aredeficient in one or moremicronutrients when field-averagesamples otherwise indicate

adequate levels. When this occurs,producers lose potential profits inthese areas by inadequatefertilization. These profits can becaptured by properly accountingfor natural or man-madevariability (23). The ratings oflow, medium and high are used toindicate the relative degree ofresponsiveness. Crops varygreatly in sensitivity tomicronutrients. Understanding acrop’s specific nutrient

Figure 7 – Effect of methods of Zn application on rice yield

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Figure 6 – Frequency distribution of Mo availability in soils ofUttarakhand state

requirements will help improveprediction of micronutrient needsand maximize economic benefitsof the nutrient managementprogramme.

Large number of micronutrientsresponse trials conducted onvarious crops grown inUttarakhand exhibited variableresponse as governed by variousfactors explained in above para(Table 4). The effect of Zn ratesand frequency of application onyields and Zn uptake in hybridrice-wheat rotation assessedthrough five year fieldexperimentation revealed thatapplication of 10 kg Zn ha-1 to firstrice crop and 5 kg Zn ha-1 to secondrice crop evidenced the most cost-effective opportunity amongvarious Zn propositionsappraised. The cumulative benefitof accrued was Rs.32316/- duringfive crop cycles.

Type of micronutrients fertiliserand its rate, frequency andmethod of application playimportant role in predicting useefficiency(14). Method of Bapplication evaluated in Okrashowed that both basal as well asfoliar spray of B had an edge overeither basal or foliar feedingalone. The fresh yield of okra was

recorded 8511 kg ha-1 with basalB application which wasstatistically comparable with halfdose of basal and half as foliarapplication (8315 kg ha-1) at 45 daysafter emergence. Study conductedon rate and frequency of Bapplication in hybrid rice (PantDhan-1) - wheat (UP - 2425)established no response to Bapplication on grain yields ofhybrid rice-wheat grown insystem during the first two years.However, a significant responsewas noted 3rd year onward. Thecumulative yields and B uptake inhybrid rice and wheat during thefive years were the highest when1 kg B ha-1 was applied during Ist

year hybrid rice. The cumulativeB uptake for hybrid rice andwheat was 36.2 and 20.6 % higherover no-B. However, thecumulative B uptake was thehighest under the treatmentreceived 2.0 kg B ha-1 to Ist year ricecrop and 0.5 kg B ha-1 to subsequentwheat crop. The magnitude ofincrease in B uptake was recorded56.7 and 36.9 % higher in hybridrice and wheat, respectively overno-B application.Figure 7 shows data representingmethod of different Zn fertiliserapplication. The application of Znthrough seed treatment is leasteffective in mitigating the Zn

deficiency in crops and cropssuffers to a great extent resultingin yield loss. However, as alreadydiscussed only 10% of the areasrepresented samples below acritical level of 0.60 ppm DTPA-Zn.At this level, some yield loss fromZn deficiency could be expected.The most common method ofmicronutrient application forcrops is soil application. Uniformapplication of micronutrientsources separately in the field isdifficult as the quantity ofmicronutrients used in crops isvery less. Uniform applicationcould be obtained through foliarsprays. In order to get quickresponse to the appliedmicronutrient and mitigatedeficiencies during the growingseason foliar spray is widely usedto apply micronutrients, especiallyiron and manganese. Solubleinorganic salts generally are aseffective as synthetic chelates infoliar sprays, so the inorganic saltsusually are chosen because oflower costs.Foliar feeding should be avoided ifnutrient demand is high and theplants are small and leaf surface isinsufficient for foliar absorption.Maximum yields may not bepossible if spraying is delayed untildeficiency symptoms appear.Including micronutrients withmixed fertilisers is a convenientmethod of application, and allowsmore uniform distribution withconventional applicationequipment. Costs are also reducedby eliminating a separateapplication. Hence, micronutrientfertilisers should be chosen toapply or blend accurately withinthe management system of thegrower and with other fertiliserapplications. Products that do notblend uniformly with otherfertilisers will not be uniformlyapplied in the field. This is evenmore important for micronutrientsthan for macronutrient fertilisersbecause of the small amountsapplied. Poor blending of a fewpounds of micronutrient carrier ina bulk blend can result in poorproduct performance, improperfertilization, and lost profits.Chelates and foliar applications areeffective means of supplying

Figure 8 – Effect of Zn rates and integration of FYM on Zn use efficiency in rice-wheat system

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micronutrients if used properly.Apparent Zn fertiliser useefficiency also enhanced when Znfertilisers are blended withorganic manure. Thus, applicationof micronutrients along withorganic manure improves thesystem productivity as well asfertiliser use efficiency. Anexperiment in pearl-millet-wheatrotation on a Typic Ustipsammentsfor three consecutive years provedthat application of 10 kg Zn ha-1

could leave its residual effect tothree consecutive years andcumulative grain yield increasedby 15 per cent over no-Zn control.A conjoint application of Zn andFYM (2.5 kg Zn + 5 t FYM ha -1)contributed much higher yieldsthan application of Zn alone(Figure 8). However, on high pHsoils application of smaller dose ofZn alone every year or at least onalternate years gives betterbeneficial effect.Field average sampling andrecommendation would unlikelyadvice additional micronutrientsapplication. Thus, site-specificstrategy would more accuratelyrepresent the actual nutrient needsand make better use ofmicronutrient resources than thatof field-average strategy. Confidentdiagnosis of micronutrient needsrequires more than a scan oflaboratory analysis of surface soilsample. Crop response increasesdramatically when consideringoverall fertility management,management level of the producer,soil type and conditions, cropsensitivity, and past observationsof crop response, quality, ordeficiency symptoms. The betterrecommendations can be given andimprove the probability ofeconomic return if this additionalinformation is used in makingmicronutrient recommendations.CONCLUSIONMicronutrient deficiencies in soilsare widely associated with cropproductivity and animal andhuman health. Advance tool, likeGlobal Positioning Systems (GPS)facilitate accurate and preciselocation and geo-referencing ofsampling sites. Geo informationsystem (GIS) aid in the acquisition,

analysis, storage, and display ofgeoreferenced information and thedevelopment of digital maps. TheGPS and GIS tools used to surveyand map the geographicdistribution of soil micronutrientcontent and availability at scalesranging from district, block andvillage to sites within singleproduction fields. Soilmicronutrient status maps wouldbe highly useful in improving ourunderstanding regarding natureand extent of micronutrientproblems and aid in determiningtheir relationships with animaland human health. Better scalemaps developed at block or villagelevel covering informationregarding all fields will be usefulin delineating specific areas wheredeficiencies or toxicities are likelyfor agriculture, and in determininglocalized soil characteristics thatmay be associated with suchproblems. The geostatisticalanalysis may contributeinformation useful for estimatingsoil micronutrient content inintervening unsampled areas also.The maps of soil micronutrientcontent and availability inindividual fields will be useful indeveloping site-specific precisionnutrient management options.Research in precision nutrientmanagement will improve ourunderstanding and management ofspatially variable soilmicronutrient availability inagricultural production fields. Soilmicronutrient maps may alsofoster the relationships betweensoil micronutrient content andavailability and some human andlivestock health problems. Thespatial distribution of soilmicronutrients and otherproperties can be derived fromintensive soil and/or plantsampling carried out alongtransects or in regular or irregulargrids at intervals ranging fromseveral to hundreds of meters.Sample site location and georeferencing can be determinedusing GPS. Thus, study ofmicronutrients in soil-plant-animal/human continuum willestablish a link between soil healthand human health. Thus, it willprovide quantitative support for

decision and policy making toimprove agricultural approachesto balanced micronutrientnutrition.

REFERENCES

1. Alloway, B.J., Micronutrientsand crop production. InMicronutrient Deficiencies inGlobal Crop Production, SpringerScience Business Media BV,Netherlands. pp: 1-39 (2008).

2. Behera, S.K. and Shukla, A.K.,Depth-wise distribution of zinc,copper, manganese and iron in acidsoils of India and their relationshipwith some soil properties. Journalof Indian Soc. Soil Sci., 61(3):244-252(2013).

3. Berger, K.C. and Truog, E., Borondetermination in soils and plantsusing the quinalizarin reaction.Industrial Engg. Chem., 11:540-545(1939).

4. FAI, Speciality FertiliserStatistics FAI, New Delhi. pp. 87(2011).

5. Gupta, A.P., Micronutrientstatus and fertiliser use scenario inIndia. J Trace Elements MedicineBiology, 18:325–331 (2005).

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6. Jiang, T., Christian, P., Khatry,S.K., Wu, L. and West, K.P. Jr.,Micronutrient deficiencies in earlypregnancy are common,concurrent and vary by seasonamong rural Nepali pregnantwomen. Journal of Nutri.,135:1106-1112 (2005).

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8. Kapil, U., MultipleMicronutrient Supplements willnot Reduce Incidence of LowBirthweight. Indian J CommunityMedicine, 34(2):85-86 (2009).

9. Katyal, J.C. and Sharma, B.D.,DTPA-extractable and total Zn, Cu,Mn and Fe in Indian soil and theirassociation with some soil

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properties. Geoderma, 49:165–179(1991).

10. Lindsay, W.L. and Norvell,W.A., Development of a DTPA soiltest for zinc, iron, manganese andcopper. Soil Sci. Soc. America J., 42:421-428 (1978).

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13. Moraghan, J.T. and Mascagni,H. J., Environmental and soilfactors affecting micronutrientdeficiencies and toxicities. In:Micronutrients in agriculture pp.371-425, Soil Sci. Soc. Am.; Madison,USA (1991).

14. Nayyar, V.K., Sadana, U.S. andTakkar, P.N., Methods and rates ofapplication of Mn and its criticallevels for wheat following rice oncoarse textured soils. Fert. Res.,8:173–178 (1985).

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21. Singh, M. V., MicronutrientDeficiencies in Crops and Soils inIndia. Micronutrient Deficiencies inGlobal Crop Production, 93-125(2008).

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SPECIALITY FERTILISER STATISTICS

DECEMBER 2014

The Fertiliser Association of India has released the 3rd edition of the publication Speciality Fertiliser Statistics inDecember 2014. The publication covers the details of fertility status of soil, nutrient uptake efficiency in particularreference to secondary and micro nutrients, policy guidelines, details of capacity, production, import, sale,consumption of specialty fertilisers including slow release, fortified/coated, water soluble and customizedfertilisers. The book also presents comprehensive statistics of use and production of various micro nutrients.Additional information on organic manure and bio fertilisers are also covered in the publication. A directory ofselected companies dealing with speciality fertilisers and micro nutrients is also given in the publication.

The price per copy of the publicationIndian : Rs.600 + 80 extra for packing, handling and postageForeign : US $100

For your copies please write to: THE FERTILISER ASSOCIATION OF INDIA

FAI House, 10, Shaheed Jit Singh Marg, New Delhi-110067Tel:011-46005215, 91-11-26567144 FAX: 91-11-26960052/46005213

Email: acctt@faidelhi.org Website: www.faidelhi.org

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