Managing Soil Acidity for Crop Production in Sikkim: A Policy Options

Abstract

Acidic soils create production problems by limiting the availability of some essential plant nutrients and increasing that of the soil solution's toxic elements, such as aluminium, iron and manganese, the major cause of poor crop performance and failure in acidic soils. In East Sikkim, 14.9 percent area is extremely acidic, 29.4 percent area is very strongly acidic, 28.7 percent area is strongly acidic, 18.3 percent area is moderately acidic and 6.5 percent area is slightly acidic in reaction. In North Sikkim, 9.3 percent area is extremely acidic, 18.5 percent very strongly acidic, 34.6 percent strongly acidic, 24.4 percent moderately acidic and 6.5 percent slightly acidic in reaction. In South Sikkim, 30.8 percent area is moderately acidic, 23.4 percent strongly acidic, 18.2 percent slightly acidic, 9.2 percent very strongly acidic and 4.4 percent extremely acidic in reaction. In West Sikkim, 38.9 percent area is moderately acidic, 32.3 percent strongly acidic, 14.2 percent slightly acidic, 9.0 percent very strongly acidic and 2.6 percent extremely acidic in reaction. Strongly to extremely acidic soils
(pH<5.5) predominate in 73% of the cultivated area of East district, 62% of cultivated area of North, 44% of the cultivated area of West and 37% of the cultivated area of South district of
the state Sikkim. Much technology to make acid infertile soils productive and profitable on a long-term sustainable basis is available, but it needs to be adapted and applied locally. The
most commonly used liming material is agricultural limestone, the most economical and relatively easy to manage source. Using locally available weed biomass for making biochar provides unique opportunity to landholders in organic agriculture to manage soil acidity. Now a day’s agronomical approach draw more attention for soil acidity management due to economically viable and environmental friendly approach.