District wise soil fertility mapping from Soil Health Card data using GIS in Meghalaya

Soil fertility maps, namely soil acidity, salinity, organic carbon, available phosphorus, and potassium were generated using Geographic Information System from grid-wise soil health data collected from SHC Portal. The study revealed that soils of all districts of Meghalaya are non-saline. The soils of all districts of the State (except two districts of Jaintia hills ) are mostly slightly acidic with the highest area in West Garo Hills and South West Garo Hills that cover the entire districts whereas the moderately acidic soils are more abundant in East Jaintia Hills and West Jaintia Hills districts that cover 97.06% and 85.56% area respectively. The strongly acidic and neutral soils are found in very negligible areas. All districts of Jaintia Hills and Khasi hills are rich in organic carbon covering 99% area. More than 54% of areas of the districts of Meghalaya have medium available phosphorus and the highest area is found in North Garo hills (91%). Available phosphorus is high in 35% of soils of East Khasi hills followed by South West Khasi Hills (19.89%) and West Khasi Hills (16.12%) district. Availability of potassium is low in >66% areas of 6 districts (South West Khasi Hills and all five districts of Garo hills) whereas > 52% areas of 5 district of Jaintia Hills and Khasi hills (except South West Khasi hills) are medium in available potassium. Soils of Ri-bhoi, East Jaintia Hills, West Khasi Hills, and East Khasi Hills districts contain high available potassium covering 19.91%, 17.76%, 10.97%, and 7.54% area, respectively.