classified on the basis of colour, depth, pH, productivity, texture and
process of formation.
|
|
Soil types according to depth are as follows:
1) Shallow Soil – Soil depth less than 22.5cm. Only shallow rooted crops are grown in such soil, e.g. Paddy, Nagli.
2) Medium deep soil – Soil depth is 22.5 to 45cm. Crops with medium
deep roots are grown in this type of soil e.g. Sugar cane, Banana, Gram.
3) Deep soil – Soil depth is more than 45cm. Crops with long and deep roots are grown in this type a soil e.g. Mango, coconut
Major soil types in India
The main types of soil in India are as follows:
1) Red soils
2) Laterites and lateritic soil
3) Black soil
4) Alluvial soils
5) Forest & hill soils
6) Peaty and marshy soils
Red soils
- Red soils have two broad classes:
a) Red loam with cloddy structure and allow content of concretionary
materials; and
b) Red earths with loose, Permeable top soil and a high content of
secondary concretions. Generally these soils are light textured with
porous and friable structure and there is absence of lime Kankar and
free carbonates. They have neutral to acidic reaction and are deficient
in nitrogen humus, phosphoric acid and lime.
2) Laterites and Lateritic soils
These soils are red to reddish yellow in colour and low in N, P, K,
lime and magnesia. These soils are formed in-situ under conditions of
high rainfall with alternation dry and wet periods. On account of heavy
rainfall there is an excessive leaching of soil colloids and silica
hence the soils are porous.
3) Black soils
These are mostly clay soils and form deep cracks during dry season.
An accumulation of lime is generally noticed of varying depths. They
are popularly known as “Black cotton soils” because of their dark brown
colour and suitability for growing cotton. These are also known as
Indian regurs.These soils are deficient in nitrogen, phosphoric acid and
organic
matter but rich in calcium, potash and magnesium.
4) Alluvial soils
These soils occur along rivers and represent the soil materials
that have been deposited by the rivers duing flood. Usually they are
very productive soils but many are deficient in nitrogen, humus and
phosphorus.
5) Forest and hill soils
These soils occur at high elevations as well as at low elevations,
where the rainfall is sufficient to support trees. These soils are very
shallow, steep, stony, and infertile for the production of field crops.
However, they serve a very useful purpose by supplying forest product
such as timber and fuel.
6) Desert soils
These are mostly sandy soils that occur in the low rainfall track.
They are well supplied with soluble salts but are low in nitrogen and
organic matter and have a high pH value. These are quite productive.
These are often subjected to wind erosion.
7) Saline & Alkaline soils
These soils occur in areas having a little more rainfall than the
areas of desert soils. They show white incrustation of salts of calcium
& Magne
sium and sodium on the surface. These are poor in drainage and are
infertile.
8) Peaty and Marshy soils
These types of soils are found in Kerala, coastal track of Orissa,
Sunderban area of W.B. When the vegetation growing in such wet places
dies, it decomposes very slowly dues to excessive wetness of soils and
after several hundreds of year a layer of partly decayed organic matter
accumulates on the surface, giving rise to such peaty and marshy soils.
These are black coloured, heavy and highly acidic soils. When properly
drained and fertilized, these soils produce good crops of rice.
