How do I know if my crop is yellowing from too much water or too little?

Both too much and too little water can make a crop look yellow and wilted, which confuses many farmers because wilting feels like thirst. The way to tell is to check the soil in the root zone, not the leaves. If you dig down and the soil is soggy and the plant still wilts, the roots are drowning and starved of oxygen from overwatering, and you need to stop watering and improve drainage, not add more. If the soil down there is dry and dusty, it is genuine thirst and needs water. Overwatered plants often have yellowing that starts lower, soft stems, and a sour smell in waterlogged soil, while underwatered plants look dry, crisp at the edges, and recover when watered. So the simple rule is dig and feel before you decide. If the soil is wet, more water makes it worse. If yellowing continues after you fix the water, it could be a nutrient or disease problem, so confirm with your KVK or agriculture officer.