20-20 / L1

SOILS OF INDIA

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Lecture Contents

SOILS OF INDIA .....................................................................................................................................3

Distribution ...............................................................................................................................................3

Brief details ...............................................................................................................................................4

Black/ regur / cotton soil .......................................................................................................................4

Alluvial/ Loamy soil ..............................................................................................................................4

Forest/ montane soil ..............................................................................................................................5

Laterite/ Brick soil .................................................................................................................................5

Arid / desert / sandy / saline soil ...........................................................................................................5

Red and yellow soil ...............................................................................................................................6

Saline soils.............................................................................................................................................6

Mangrove/ peaty & marshy/ kari soil. ...................................................................................................6

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SOILS OF INDIA

Distribution

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 Brief details

S.No. SOIL Yes No

Black/ regur / cotton soil K, Fe, Mg, Al, N, P, (1) India: Leaching, no humus.
(1) Ca (Kankar/clay) organic Ukraine: No leaching.
(tropical cherhozem or
matter (2) Weathering of rocks  fine grains
Grumsol)
[Basaltic Lava: + cracks.
Fe, Mg, Al, Ca] (3) Cracks: air into depth, good micro-
nutrients, self-ploughing.
(4) Wet soil: compact, dry: cracks.
(5) High T  No organic matter
Low Rain-fall: 50-75 cm.
(6) High clay  high water holding
capacity.
(7) High T + dry + clay: cotton (moist
soil is good for cotton.

(2) Alluvial/ Loamy soil K, Ca (Kankar/ N, P (1) River deposition, fertile, well-
Lime) drained, good water retention
capacity.
(2) Good micro-nutrients.
(3) Distribution
a) Upper Ganga: Bangar i.e. old
deposits (in form of kankar).
Khaddar i.e. new deposits.
b) Lower + middle: Loamy &
clay.
c) West to East: Sand reduces
(Crushing)  Fertility increases.
d) Drier areas: Alkaline.
e) Duars, chos, Terai.

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(3) Forest/ montane soil Silica Fe, Al (1) Sufficient rain- fall.
[cold leaching: (2) Distribution
(Podsol/Pedalfer, because
Silica comes up, a) Snow : Denudation, acidic, less
of cold leaching)
Fe, Al goes humus
down] b) Upper region: Very thin, less
fertile, lumbering industry.
c) Valley: loamy& silty
d) Lower valley: Fertile (chelation)

(4) Laterite/ Brick soil K, Fe, Al. N, P, Ca, (1) High T  Less humus/organic
organic matter.
(lithosol / pedocol)
[hot leaching: matter (2) tropical rain (Heavy): porous, fat
Fe2O3 = Red
Fe, Al comes up, erosion (alternative rain-fall)
Silica goes (3) Bauxite (Al) rich.
down] (4) Patlands: Thick layer of iron balls.
(5) Brick making: Niyam Giri.
(6) Agriculture possible with fertilizers.
a) TN, AP, KL: Cashew Nut.
b) TN, AP, KA: Tea & coffee.
c) Tapioca, rubber too.

(5) Arid / desert / sandy / Ca (Kankar). N, (1) Dry, High T: High evaporation 
saline soil P- normal organic Low Humus or organic contact.
matter (2) Kankar (Ca) increase downwards
(Calcimorphic)
 infiltration decreases.
(3) Loose, friable, High pH, Salt by
evaporation too.

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(6) Red and yellow soil K, Ni, Fe N, P , (1) Color:
organic a) Red: Archaen granite & Gnessic
(Lithosol)
matter rock, diffusion of iron (Fe) in
( Fe2O3: Red)
crystalline & meta-morphic rocks.
Igneous rock  Ni Fe
b) Yellow: hydrated.
(2) Best drained soil.
(3) Supports maximum crop diversity =
food security (Fine grains fertile)
(4) Coarse grains in dry-upland = less
fertile
(5) Brick- making: loss of top- soil,
(6) Dry season: land fallowing.
(7) Neutral to acidic reaction.
(7) Saline soils K, Na, Mg N, Ca (1) Sandy to loamy.
(These 3  (2) Found in Arid, semi-arid regions and
(Halomorphic)
infertile) swamps.
a) Excessive irrigation: saline
(capillary action: salt @ top).
b) Rann of kachh: S.W. Monsoon
= salty.
c) Seawater in delta: salinity
increase.
d) Dry climate + poor drainage =
salt.
e) IF moderate arid 
Calcification.
(8) Mangrove/ peaty & Organic matter. _ (1) Heavy, black.
marshy/ kari soil. Acidic. (2) Sulfur  Acidic, bluish-green.
Alkaline too (3) Rice, if properly drained.
(hydromorphic)
sometimes. (4) Gleying = hydromorphic.

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