The limiting factors of soil nutrient were identified by systematic application of indicator plant (grain sorghum) and diagnostic soil analysis (soil adsorption trial and pot experiment) in dry cropland and paddy soil in Sangzhi county of Zhangjiajie city in Hunan province. The results showed that the available Ca，Fe，Mn and B were sufficient in the soils, which holds a higher adsorption capacity for P compared to other nutrients. Compared with OPT treatment, biomass of grain sorghum plant growing under N, P, S, Mg, Mo, and Zn-lacked treatment decreased by 81%, 53%, 45%, 41%, 31% and 21% in the dry cropland, and it decreased by 75%, 68%, 29% and 19% under N, P, S and Zn, lacked treatment in the paddy soil. N, P and S was the first, second, and third nutrient limiting factor both in the dry cropland or paddy soil in the areas, but there were more nutrient limiting factors in the dry land compared to the paddy soil. So, enough N, P, S, Zn fertilizer should be applied in the dry cropland and paddy soil to ensure growht of the crop, and a reasonable amount of Mg and Mo fertilizer also should be applied in the dry cropland.