Soil Test Crop Response

Location : UAS, GKVK, Bangalore
Year of Start : 1970

Mandate :
1. To develop a relationship between soil test values and crop response to chemical fertilizers and organic manures to provide a calibration for fertilizer recommendation based on soil testing.
2. To obtain a basis for making fertilizer recommendation for targeted yield.
3. To evaluate various soil test methods for their suitability under field condition.
4. To evaluate soil test targeted equations in farmers field through follow-up trials.

Research Programmes :

• Development of targeted yield equations for different crops through gradient and main experiment and evaluation of developed equations through verification trial in comparison with other approaches of fertilizer recommendation
• Front line demonstrations of developed targeted yield equations through TSP and SCSP programme

Research Accomplishments :

• This center  has developed 61 STCR targeted yield fertilizer prescription equations for zone 3,4, 5, 6 and 7 of Karnataka. Around 373 verification trials were conducted both on research station and farmer’s field for validation of targeted yield equations.
• Technologies developed on sea weed sap as source of nutrient sand it is included in package of practice
  a) Seaweed sap (15% G sap) as root dip along with (15% G sap) spray at 25 and 60 days after transplanting enhances the paddy yield.
  b) Seaweed sap (G or K sap) with 10% concentration at 20, 40 and 70 days after sowing as foliage spray enhances the hybrid maize yield.
• Application of bio-K @140 kg acre-1 enhances the maize yield in lieu of recommended dose of potassium (16 kg acre-1).
• Subsurface drainage technology for amelioration of problematic soil has successfully demonstrated at Bhadra and Cauvery command area covering nearly 300 acres.
• Technology on subsoil manuring was successfully demonstrated in 25 acres in sonic soil at Mandya and Chamarajanagara district and recorded 18 to 36% yield improvement.
• Mobile based “Krishi ganaka” software was developed for Tumkur district of Karnataka, which is 1st of its kind in India under the project “Online fertilizer recommendation through STCR approach for Tumakuru district of Karnataka” funded by Directorate of Research, UAS, GKVK, Bangalore.
• Web based and Mobile App “Dhartimitra”is developed for fertilizer prescription through STCR approach based on geo coordinates or survey number for ten districts of Karnataka (Bengaluru rural,Chamarajanagara, Chikkaballapura, Chitradurga,Hassan, Kolar, Mandya, Mysore, Ramanagara and Tumkur).

Awards / Recognitions :

• AICRP on STCR, Bhopal, has been awarded Chaudhary Devi Lal, ICAR Award for the year 2010-11 for combined efforts of all the STCR centers.
• AICRP on STCR, Bangalore Center has been adjudged as the outstanding STCR center and received a cash prize of Rs. 1.00 lakh for adopting STCR technology by maximum farmer’s in Karnataka
• The paper entitled “ವಿವಿಧರೂಪದ ಗೊಬ್ಬರಗಳನ್ನು ವಿವಿಧ ಮಾದರಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಹಾಕುವುದರಿಂದ ಮೆಕ್ಕೆಜೋಳದ ಇಳುವರಿ ಮತ್ತು ಪೋಷಕಾಂಶಗಳ ಹೀರುವಿಕೆಯ ಮೇಲಾಗುವ ಪರಿಣಾಮ” was adjudged as the best research paper.
• Dr. BANYAL MEMORIAL BEST PAPER AWARD for the research paper on “Evaluation of different approaches of fertilizer recommendation on finger millet (Eleusinecoracana L), yield, nutrient requirement and economics”. A cash prize of Rs. 1500/-, a plaque and a certificate has been awarded.
• Best Oral paper award for “STCR Approach of Fertilizer Recommendation Through Krishiganaka Software”

Facilities Available :

• Laboratory is well equipped with instruments to analyse soil, water and manure samples.
• Data center has been established to maintain the server of mobile / web based online fertilizer recommendation application

Other Activities :

• Ten Frontline demonstrations were conducted to demonstrate the effect of fertilizer prescription for specific yield target by STCR approach on yield of safflower, sunflower, groundnut and maize.
• Two hundred forty three frontline demonstrations were conducted under tribal sub plan project at Chamarajanagara, Mysore and Tumakuru districts covering 300 acres of land to demonstrate STCR approach of fertilizer recommendation for maize and ragi crop and noticed yield advantage of 15-17% for maize and 30% for ragi compared to farmer’s practice.
• Training programmes were conducted for officers of Department of Agriculture, Soil Test Laboratory’s staff every year on methods of analysis and fertilizer calculations based on STCR approach for specific yield target for different crops of Karnataka.
• The soil fertility maps were generatedusing GPS point data of sampled spots by simple krigging method using Arc info 9 GIS software under the project “GPS – GIS Based Fertility Mapping of Selected Districts of the Country” funded by DAC, New Delhi during 2010-2013.

Staff Profile: