Geospatial Assessment and Mapping of Soil Nutrient Status for Sustainable Agricultural Planning in Mizoram, India

Abstract

Site-Specific Nutrient Management (SSNM) promotes sustainable farming by tailoring fertilizer use to local soil variability, improving yield while reducing environmental damage. Soil testing plays a key role by providing data for precise nutrient management based on spatial differences in soil properties. This study evaluates the soil fertility status of Mizoram, India—a state situated within the North Eastern Hill (NEH) region encompassing a total geographical area of approximately 21,081  sq. km—to support Soil Health Management (SHM) under the National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA).Integrating GIS and GPS technologies, 20,991 soil samples from 273 villages were analysed to generate thematic maps of pH, organic carbon (OC), and primary macronutrients (N, P, K) via Inverse Distance Weighted (IDW) interpolation. The results show that 97.49% of the state’s area is acidic (pH<6.5), with 62.64% slightly acidic and 34.85% moderately acidic. Macronutrient levels are predominantly in the "medium" range, covering 91.21% for Nitrogen, 90.71% for Phosphorus, and 93.05% for Potassium, while 54.75% of the area maintains medium OC levels. These findings necessitate site-specific management, specifically the application of lime to mitigate widespread acidity and balanced NPK fertilization to optimize regional crop productivity. This high-resolution spatial database provides a critical decision-support tool for sustainable agricultural planning and nutrient management across Mizoram.