Soil Tessting & Techhnology Advissory Centre

Departmment of Soil Sccience & Agrrl. Chemistryy

Centre for
f Soil & Crrop Managem ment Studies
Tammil Nadu Agrricultural Un niversity
Coimbato ore 641 033
3
Phone: 0422-2456811
0 1
Email: sotttac@tnau.ac..in
DESCRIPT TIVE RATIN NGS
INDICATO
ORS
GOOD
D FAIR POOR
SO
OIL TILTH
S
Structure Good d crumb structture Moderate cruumb structuree Hard massive st`ru ucture
Tills easily leaving
g no clods Some clods Tills w
with difficultyy
Soil breaks
b apart easily Soil breaks apart with some Tillagge creates lotss of clods
pressure
S
Surface Crussting Soil maintains
m open / porous Moderate su urface sealing Soil surface seaals easily
surfacce in all grow
wing season Minimal efffect on seeedling after ttillage and raiin events
Seedlling emerg
gence not emergence Inhibits seedling em mergence
affectted
Sub-surface
S Loosee soil Firm soil Hard layers with tiight soil
c
compaction Unresstricted root penetration
p Root penetrration some what Severrely restrictted root
restricted penettration
SOIL WATER
I
Internal draiinage Soils drain easily Soils drain moderately
m Soil stay wet for long
Limitted delays in field Some delayss in field operrations periodds
 operations Water-logging after heavy Delays in field operations
Good balance between air and Soil doesnt breathe and
water in the soil Minimal yield reduction reduces yield
Yield reduction only in very
wet years
Water holding Soil holds water well Soil has moderate capacity to Soil has limited capacity to
capacity Deep topsoil for water storage hold water hold water
Crops seldom suffer from Crops begin to suffer from Crops suffer in moderate
moderate dry spells moderate dry spells dry spells
Run off Water soaks in easily Absorbs water but slowly Absorbs water very slowly
Very little runoff and erosion Some runoff and erosion Lots of runoff and erosion
Water does not pond Ponding after heavy rains Ponding after moderate
rains
FERTILITY STATUS
Nutrient levels Soil test levels are adequate One or more soil test levels are One or more soil test levels
for crop growth and yield less than adequate for crop are deficient or excessive
goals growth and yield goals for crop growth and yield
No visible signs of plant No visible signs of plant goals
nutrient deficiency nutrient deficiency. Visible signs of plant
nutrient deficiency toxicity
Organic matter Organic matter is at high level Organic matter is at medium Organic matter is at low
content level and needs to be improved level and needs frequent
organic manuring
Soil pH pH is within the acceptable pH is slightly above or below pH is too high or too low
range for plant growth the acceptable range for crop and will affect plant growth
growth
Soil EC EC is within the acceptable EC is slightly above the EC is too high and will
range for plant growth acceptable range for crop injure plant growth
 growth
SOIL BIOLOGY
Earthworms Lots of earthworms with Some earth worms with few No visible signs of earth
many holes and casts holes and casts worm activity
Smell Soil has a fresh earthy smell Soil has little or no smell Soil has a swampy,
stagnant smell
Residue Residue at various stages of Some visible non-decomposed Rapid decomposition with
decomposition decomposition on soil surface residue in the topsoil little or no visible residue
and in the topsoil or very slow decomposition
with relatively un-
decomposed residue in the
topsoil
PLANT VIGOUR
Uniformity in Uniform deep-green in colour, Some variation in colour, Uneven colour, variable
growth in the even stand (height and height and population height and population
field population) Moderate growth with mild Stunned growth and stress
Rapid growth with no visible stress due to nutrient deficiency
signs of stress
Seedling Rapid and even emergence Slow and uneven emergence Poor emergence
emergence
Root systems Healthy uninhibited root Root growth somewhat Restricted root growth
growth restricted Few fine roots.
Lots of fine roots Some fine roots