Tag: abiotic resources

Red soil develops on crystalline igneous rocks in areas of low rainfall in the eastern and southern parts of the Deccan plateau. These soils develop a reddish colour due to diffusion of iron in crystalline and metamorphic rocks.  

Black soils are often referred to as regur but are popularly known as “black cotton soils,” since cotton has been the most common traditional crop in areas where they are found. Black soils are derivatives of lava traps and are spread mostly across interior Gujarat (Saurashtra), Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh. 

Lateritic soil types of India are rendered infertile by the presence of excess iron. Laterite soils are those soils that are found in the areas which receive high rainfall and have a very high temperature. This results in less humus content in the soil. Hence, they are not fertile soil and are not suitable for cultivation.

The northern plains are formed by the alluvial deposits brought by the rivers – the Indus, the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra. These plains extend approximately 3,200 km from the east to the west.

Laterite soils are good for tea, coffee and cashew cultivation. Laterite soils lack fertility due to intensive leaching. When manured and irrigated, some laterites are suitable for growing plantation crops like tea, coffee, rubber, cinchona, coconut, areca nut, etc.

It is red due to the presence of iron oxide which is formed by leaching. Laterite soil is a rock type soil rich in iron and aluminium, and is commonly considered to have formed in hot and wet tropical areas.