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Rice is cultivated at many places under irrigation. Deficiency of Zn (73.3%), Fe (18.9%) and
Cu (1 7 .9%) are observed in the area of Tamil Nadu Uplands and Leeward Flanks of South
Sahyadris. The deficiency of B (49.3%) w a s p r e v a l e n t i n Central Karnataka Plateau
whereas tha t of Mn (11.9%) was maximum in the Tamil Nadu Uplands and Plains.

Northern Plain

The Northern Plain with hot sub humid (dry) eco-region is dominated by alluvium-derived deep
loamy soils of the northern Indo-Gangetic Plain, including piedmont Plain of the western
Himalayas. It occupies an area of 12.l m ha, and characterized by hot summer and cool winter.
The crops grown are rice, maize, barley, pigeon pea and jute in kharif season, and wheat,
mustard and lentil in rabi season. Rohilkhand, Avadh and south Bihar Plains exhibited the
highest deficiency of Zn (38.4%), Fe (18.7%) and B (31.8%), whereas in the Punjab and
Rohilkhand plains, showed the deficiency of Mn (28.4%).

Central Highlands (Malwa and Bundelkhand)

Central Highland s (Malwa and Bundelkhand) with hot sub-humid (dry) climate is comprised
of four AESRs. Mainly red and black soils cover part of Malwa plateau and Bundelkhand
uplands including Baghelkhand plateau, Narmada valley, Vindhyan scarp lands and northern
fringe of Maharashtra plateau, encompassing some districts of Madhya Pradesh, with 22.3 m
ha area. Rice, sorghum, pigeon pea and soybean are common crops grown in kharif, whereas
gram, wheat and vegetables are major rabi crops. Kharif crops are totally rain-fed, whereas rabi
crops are partly irrigated at critical growth stages. Analysis of 13445 soil samples revealed
widespread S and Zn deficiency in the region. Highest Zn deficiency (68.8%) was noticed in
the Malwa Plateau followed by Vindhyan scarp land and Bundelkhand Plateau. The deficiency
of Fe ranged from 5.3 to 26.7% with highest deficiency in the Satpura and Eastern
Maharashtra Plateau. Deficiency of Cu (3.6%) and Mn (6.3%) was not prevalent in the area
of Vindhyan scarp land and Bundelkhand plateau. Satpura range and Wainganga Valley was
the sub-region where the maximum B deficiency (6.5%) was observed, otherwise all other
AESRs showed negligible B deficiency.

Chhattisgarh/Mahanadi Basin

Chhattisgarh/Mahanadi Basin with hot, sub-humid climate covering Chhattisgarh and south
west highlands of Bihar occupies an area of 14.l m ha. The soils of the area are deep loamy
non-calcareous and neutral to slightly acidic in reaction. Cultivation of rice, millets, pigeon
pea, moong (green peas) and black gram is practiced in kharif season. About 31.0% and
29.5% samples showed deficiency B and Zn, respectively, whereas the deficiency of Mn
was recorded in 13.2% of the samples analysed.

Eastern Plateau (Chhotanagpur)

The Eastern Plateau (Chhotanagpur) and Eastern Ghats hot and sub-humid region constitutes
Chhotanagpur Plateau of Bihar, western parts of West Bengal, eastern Ghats (Dandakaranya
and Garhjat hills) of Odisha and Bastar Region of Chhattisgarh with an area of 26.8 m ha.
The soil of the region varies from fine loamy to clayey, non-calcareous and slightly to