Tag: classification of soils

The black soils are made up of extremely fine clayey material. They are well-known for their capacity to hold moisture. In addition, they are rich in soil nutrients, such as calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash and lime. This type of soil develops deep cracks during hot weather, which helps in the proper aeration of the soil. These are the characteristics of black soil. 

 Due to its high fertility, regions of alluvial soils are intensively cultivated and densely populated. 

Red soil develops on crystalline igneous rocks in areas of low rainfall in the eastern and southern parts of the Deccan plateau. 

1:The black soils are made up of extremely fine i.e. clayey material. They are well-known for their capacity to hold moisture. In addition, they are rich in soil nutrients, such as calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash and lime.
2:The clay soil has the highest water holding capacity and the sand soil has the least. Clay particles are so tiny and have many small pore spaces that make water move slower, (very good water holding capacity)
 

This type of soil is typical of the Deccan trap (Basalt) region spread over northwest Deccan plateau and is made up of lava flows. 

Khadar has more fine particles and is more fertile than the Bangar.

Alluvial soil is the most widely spread and important soil. In fact, the entire northern plains are made of alluvial soil. These have been deposited by three important Himalayan river systems– the Indus, the Ganga and the Brahmaputra.

Thorny bushes are found in dry areas of the country. The leaves are in the form of spines to reduce the loss of water. Cactus, khair, babool, keekar are important thorny bushes. They are found in the states of Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Eastern slopes of Western Ghats and Gujarat.

Mountain soil is mainly found on the hill slopes. These soils are formed due to mechanical withering caused by snow, rain, temperature variation, etc. These mountain soils are found in hilly regions of Jammu and Kashmir, Sikkim, Assam, and Arunachal Pradesh. These soils occupy about 8% of the total land area of India.

In Maharashtra black cotton soil is mainly found in Amravati, Akola, Buldhana, Washim, Parbhani, Dhule, Jalgaon, Hingoli, Osmanabad, Ahmadnagar districts.