Identification of Soil Fertility in Tobacco-growing Areas in Nandyal District, Andhra Pradesh, India

Soil fertility evaluation provides a basis for nutrient management in bidi tobacco-growing areas where spatial variation in soil properties may affect nutrient availability. This study assessed the physicochemical characteristics and available macro- and micronutrients of soils in Nandyal district, Andhra Pradesh, India. During kharif 2024–25, 150 soil samples were collected from farmers’ fields across 15 villages, with 10 samples per village. Samples were analysed for pH, electrical conductivity, organic carbon, available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, and DTPA-extractable zinc, iron, manganese and copper. Results summarised for five locations showed alkaline soil reaction (pH 7.86–8.21) and low electrical conductivity (0.05–0.07 dS m⁻¹). Mean organic carbon was 0.324%, while mean available nitrogen was 178.6 kg ha⁻¹. Available phosphorus and potassium averaged 61.6 and 513.8 kg ha⁻¹, respectively, and were classified as relatively high at the reported locations. Mean available zinc was 0.52 mg kg⁻¹; four of five location means were below the study’s 0.60 mg kg⁻¹ critical limit. Iron averaged 5.02 mg kg⁻¹, with one location mean below 5.0 mg kg⁻¹, whereas manganese and copper values exceeded the stated critical limits. Reported tobacco yields ranged from 1,950 to 2,350 kg ha⁻¹. Exploratory correlations based on five location means did not establish causal nutrient–yield relationships. These findings support location-specific soil testing, attention to organic matter and nitrogen management, and field evaluation of zinc correction measures.