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PREFACE

Soil health is a key component for sustainable agriculture. Continuous increase in agricultural
productivity is necessary for providing adequate and nutritious food to growing population
impairing finite natural resources. The agrarian intensification for want of maximum productivity
without following balanced fertilization caused serious negative impact on soil health. Along with
the major nutrients (NPK), there has been a considerable decrease in the secondary and
micronutrient concentration in Indian soils. The level of soil fertility decline, especially
micronutrients not only impacted agricultural production, but also showed potential negative effect
on the quality of produce.

It is a well-recognized fact that micronutrients play a vital role in achieving sustainable crop
production. In recent years, widespread micro and secondary nutrient deficiencies beyond soil-plant
system have drawn attention of scientists, policy makers and other stakeholders towards
management of micronutrients in soils. The best way of preventing micronutrient malnutrition is to
mitigate micronutrient deficiencies in soils and crops through systematic assessment of
micronutrients status in soils their delineation and mapping based on critical limits, and
development of amelioration techniques for sustaining soil-crop productivity at farm level.

An e-Atlas contain taluka-wise maps on micronutrient deficiencies in soils has been developed using
data generated under AICRP-MSPE as well as those generated by other agencies/scientists,
covering large areas to improve our understanding regarding micronutrient problems in the country.
These maps would be helpful in taking policy decisions regarding distribution of micronutrient
fertilizers to the deficient regions. Besides, these maps will be of immense significance in
developing location-specific micronutrient recommendations to enhance crop production and their
concentration in grain/fodder. Efforts have been made to suggest amelioration techniques to
alleviate micronutrient deficiencies in soil-plant system after proper validation through crop
response trials.

We are extremely thankful to the team of scientists working in AICRP-MSPE at different
SAUs/ICAR institutes for generating valuable information for the benefit of farmers and other
stakeholders.

We express sincere gratitude to Dr. Trilochan Mohapatra, Secretary, DARE and Director General,
Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi for his noble guidance, generous support and
constant encouragement in development of the e-Atlas. We are obliged to Dr. A.K. Sikka, Ex-DDG
(NRM), Dr. K. Alagusundaram, DDG (NRM), Dr. J.C. Katyal, Ex-Vice Chancellor, CCSHAU,
Hisar, Ex-Directors of ICAR-IISS, Bhopal, Drs. P.N. Takkar, C.L. Acharya, and A. Subbarao, Dr.
S.K. Sanyal, Ex-Vice Chancellor, BCKV, Kalyani, Dr. A.K. Singh, Ex-Vice Chancellor, RVSKVV,
Gwalior and Dr. V.S. Tomar, Ex-Vice Chancellor, JNKVV, Jabalpur, and Dr. B. Mandal, Professor,
BCKV, Kalyani, for their technical advice and suggestions. Our special thanks to Dr. Panjab Singh,
NAAS President and Dr. A.K. Singh, DDG (Extension) for their valuable suggestions for
comprehensive planning in preparation of the publication. We are highly thankful to Dr. A.K. Patra,
Director, ICAR-IISS, Bhopal for his consistent encouragement and support.

Authors