Alluvial Soil
- Alluvial Soils cover about 40 percent area of India
- It is depositional soil by river streams
- Its colour is light grey to ash grey
- They are rich in potash but poor in phosphorous
- Bhangar is older alluvial variant and Khadar is newer
- Bhabhar and Tarai are its other variant
- Soil is generally loamy and clayey with sand content decreasing from west to east
Black Soil
- Spread across major portion of western Deccan Plateau
- Also called ‘Regur soil’ and is idle for cotton cultivation
- It is generally deep, clayey and impermeable
- It develops wide cracks during summers and are thus self-ploughing and retains moisture for a longer period of time
- Black soils are rich in lime. Magnesia, alumina, iron and potash, but lack nitrogen, phosphorous and organic matter
Red and Yellow Soil
- It is found in western ghats and parts of Chhattisgarh, Orissa and southern parts of middle Ganga plains
- Develops on low rainfall areas with crystalline igneous rocks
- The reddishness is due to richness of iron in crystalline and metamorphic rock, while yellowness is of a hydrated form
- It is poor in phosphorous, nitrogen and humus
Laterite Soil
- The Latin word ‘later’ means bricks, it is named so as it is widely used for brick making
- It is developed in areas of high temperature and rainfall as lime and silica is leached away by rain and iron oxide, potash and aluminium compound are left in excess
- Poor in nitrogen, calcium, phosphate and organic matter
- Ideal for Cashew nut cropping in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh
- Arid Soil
- Found in western Rajasthan due to high temperature and accelerated evaporation
- It is sandy in structure and saline in nature
- The salt content is high
- It is poor in humus, moisture, nitrogen and organic matter
- Calcium ‘Kankar’ layer is formed in the bottom which restricts infiltration of water
- Saline Soil
- Also called as Usara soils
- It contains a larger proportion of sodium, potassium and magnesium because of the dry climate and poor drainage which makes it infertile
- It is poor in nitrogen and calcium
- Widespread in Rann of Kuchchh of western Gujarat and deltas of Sunderban areas in West Bengal
- In areas with extensive irrigation facility like in Punjab and Haryana, farmers are advised to add gypsum to solve the problem of salinity in soil by preventing capillary action
- Peaty Soil
- Found widely in northern Bihar, southern Uttarakhand and coastal areas of West Bengal, Odisha and Tamil Nadu
- Generally black in colour due to the high portion of organic matter
- Found in areas of heavy rainfall and high humidity with rich in humus and organic matter it is good for the growth of vegetation
- Forest Soil
- Found in forest areas having sufficient rainfall as the Himalayan ranges
- Soil structure is fertile loamy and silty in a valley and coarse-grained in upper slopes
• Denudation occurs in snow-bound forests of the Himalayas
Types of Soils of India with classification and characteristics are as follows-
1. Alluvial Soil
* Alluvial Soils cover about 40 percent area of India
* It is depositional soil by river streams
* Its colour is light grey to ash grey
* They are rich in potash but poor in phosphorous
* Bhangar is older alluvial variant and Khadar is newer
* Bhabhar and Tarai are its other variant
* Soil is generally loamy and clayey with sand content decreasing from west to east
2. Black Soil
* Spread across major portion of western Deccan Plateau
* Also called ‘Regur soil’ and is idle for cotton cultivation
* It is generally deep, clayey and impermeable
* It develops wide cracks during summers and are thus self-ploughing and retains moisture for a longer period of time
* Black soils are rich in lime. Magnesia, alumina, iron and potash, but lack nitrogen, phosphorous and organic matter
3. Red and Yellow Soil
* It is found in western ghats and parts of Chhattisgarh, Orissa and southern parts of middle Ganga plains
* Develops on low rainfall areas with crystalline igneous rocks
* The reddishness is due to richness of iron in crystalline and metamorphic rock, while yellowness is of a hydrated form
* It is poor in phosphorous, nitrogen and humus
4. Laterite Soil
* The Latin word ‘later’ means bricks, it is named so as it is widely used for brick making
* It is developed in areas of high temperature and rainfall as lime and silica is leached away by rain and iron oxide, potash and aluminium compound are left in excess
* Poor in nitrogen, calcium, phosphate and organic matter
* Ideal for Cashew nut cropping in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh
5. Arid Soil
* Found in western Rajasthan due to high temperature and accelerated evaporation
* It is sandy in structure and saline in nature
* The salt content is high
* It is poor in humus, moisture, nitrogen and organic matter
* Calcium ‘Kankar’ layer is formed in the bottom which restricts infiltration of water
6. Saline Soil
* Also called as Usara soils
* It contains a larger proportion of sodium, potassium and magnesium because of the dry climate and poor drainage which makes it infertile
* It is poor in nitrogen and calcium
* Widespread in Rann of Kuchchh of western Gujarat and deltas of Sunderban areas in West Bengal
* In areas with extensive irrigation facility like in Punjab and Haryana, farmers are advised to add gypsum to solve the problem of salinity in soil by preventing capillary action
7. Peaty Soil
* Found widely in northern Bihar, southern Uttarakhand and coastal areas of West Bengal, Odisha and Tamil Nadu
* Generally black in colour due to the high portion of organic matter
* Found in areas of heavy rainfall and high humidity with rich in humus and organic matter it is good for the growth of vegetation
8. Forest Soil
* Found in forest areas having sufficient rainfall as the Himalayan ranges
* Soil structure is fertile loamy and silty in a valley and coarse-grained in upper slopes
* Denudation occurs in snow-bound forests of the Himalayas