Assessment of Farmers’ Knowledge on Soil Sampling Procedures and Soil Test Based Nutrient Management in Karimnagar District of Telangana, India

Abstract

Soil testing and soil health card (SHC)-based nutrient management are pivotal components of sustainable agriculture. This study evaluated the knowledge level of 120 farmers in Karimnagar district, Telangana State, India, concerning soil sampling procedures and soil test-based fertilizer recommendations. Employing an ex-post facto research design with a pre-tested structured interview schedule, data were collected and analysed using descriptive statistics and Pearson's correlation coefficient. The findings reveal that a majority of respondents (60%) possessed a medium level of knowledge, while 24.17% demonstrated high knowledge and 15.83% showed low knowledge. The highest awareness was recorded for the availability of soil testing services (88.33%), the need to apply nitrogen in three split doses in paddy (87.50%), and the role of balanced fertilization in maintaining soil health (85.83%). Conversely, knowledge gaps were most pronounced concerning the recommended zinc sulphate dose for correcting zinc deficiency in paddy (56.67%), the prescribed quantity of muriate of potash for paddy (58.33%), and the variation of fertilizer dose for paddy with soil test values (57.50%). Correlation analysis identified education (r = 0.462**), training undergone (r = 0.518**), extension contact (r = 0.487**), scientific orientation (r = 0.436**), and innovativeness (r = 0.401**) as highly significant predictors of knowledge at the 1% level. Farm size (r = 0.298*), economic motivation (r = 0.321*), and achievement motivation (r = 0.354*) were significant at the 5% level. Age and farming experience did not exhibit significant relationships with knowledge. These results underline the critical need for targeted extension training, field demonstrations, and digital outreach to bridge knowledge gaps and enhance adoption of soil test-based nutrient management among farming communities.