Soon, farmers will be able to test soil in seconds

Farmers should soon be able to ditch laborious soil testing methods that involve collecting samples from different parts of a field and having them tested at government labs.

- Vijay C. Roy & Dhirendra Kumar

The government is preparing to upgrade the soil-testing process by empowering farmers with a handheld digital tool that can deliver real time results wiht satellite technology, said M.L. Jat, secretary, department of agricultural research and education.

The technology is still under development so no timeline was given.

With this device, farmers will be able to quickly assess soil properties like texture, organic matter, pH and nutrient levels in seconds, for precision-farming.

With such information handy, farmers can apply the right amount of fertilizer, nutrients and irrigation based on specific soil needs, reducing input costs and improving crop yields, said Jat, who is also director general at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.