Major Soil Types of India
NCERT Class 10 • Contemporary India II • Chapter "Resources and Development" | NCERT Class 11 • India Physical Environment • Chapter "Soils"
Major Soil Types of India
Soil is the thin topmost layer of the earth's crust made of weathered rock, humus and living organisms. Its type depends on the parent rock, climate, relief, vegetation and time. India has six main soil groups, each suited to particular crops and each facing its own problems.
Alluvial and Black Soil
- Alluvial soil is the most widespread soil of India, covering the northern plains and the river deltas.
- It is brought by the Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra and is rich in potash and lime but often poor in nitrogen.
- Older alluvium is called bangar and is coarser with kankar nodules; newer alluvium is khadar and is more fertile.
- Alluvial soil suits wheat, rice, sugarcane and pulses, and supports dense population.
- Black soil or regur formed from the lava of the Deccan trap and is best known for cotton.
- It is clayey, holds moisture well, develops deep cracks in summer, and is rich in lime, iron, magnesia and potash.
Red, Laterite, Arid and Forest Soil
- Red soil develops on crystalline igneous rock in low rainfall parts of the eastern and southern Deccan; its colour comes from iron oxide.
- Laterite soil forms in high rainfall and high temperature areas by intense leaching; it is poor in nutrients but suits tea, coffee and cashew after manuring.
- Arid soil of western Rajasthan is sandy and saline, low in humus, and becomes cultivable with irrigation.
- Forest soil is found in hill and mountain areas; it is loamy in valleys and coarse on upper slopes.
- Soil fertility depends on humus content, texture and depth, not colour alone.
- Indian soils commonly lack nitrogen, phosphorus and organic matter, so manuring is essential.
- Excess irrigation without drainage makes soil saline and alkaline, a growing problem in Punjab and Haryana.
| Soil | Main Region | Suited Crop |
|---|---|---|
| Alluvial | Northern plains, deltas | Wheat, rice, sugarcane |
| Black | Deccan trap area | Cotton |
| Red and yellow | Eastern and southern Deccan | Millets, pulses |
| Laterite | Western Ghats, north-east | Tea, coffee, cashew |
| Arid | Western Rajasthan | Barley, bajra with irrigation |
Leaching — the washing down of soluble nutrients from the topsoil by heavy rain.
Hindi me samjhein
बांगर पुरानी जलोढ़ मिट्टी है जिसमें कंकड़ मिलते हैं, और खादर नई जलोढ़ मिट्टी है जो हर बाढ़ में नई परत पाकर अधिक उपजाऊ रहती है।
Exam me kaise aata hai
- Most widespread soil of India — alluvial
- Black soil is also called — regur
- Which crop suits black soil best — cotton
- Old alluvium is called — bangar
UPSC/State PSC ke liye
- Black soil's self ploughing property comes from the deep cracks that form in summer and mix the surface layers.
- Laterite soil is hard when dry and is quarried as building brick in parts of the south-west coast.
Yahan confuse hote hain
✗ Khadar is the older alluvium | Khadar is the newer alluvium; bangar is older | ✓
✗ Black soil is black because of humus | It is black because of its parent lava rock and iron content | ✓
✗ Laterite soil is rich in nutrients | Leaching makes it poor in nutrients | ✓
Ek nazar me
- Six soils: alluvial, black, red and yellow, laterite, arid, forest.
- Alluvial is the most widespread; bangar old and khadar new.
- Black or regur suits cotton and holds moisture.
- Laterite forms by leaching and suits plantation crops.