Question

From encyclopedias and the Internet, find out the different types of soil found in India. Discuss the importance of these soils for crops cultivated in our country. You should form groups in class for this activity.

Answer 1

Soils of India: Six Different Types of Soils Found in India are as follows:
Soil is our prime natural and economic resource. Soils in India differ in composition and structure.

1. Alluvial Soils: These are formed by the deposition of sediments by rivers. They are rich in humus and very fertile. They are found in Great Northern plain, lower valleys of Narmada and Tapti, and Northern Gujarat. These soils are renewed every year.
2. Black Soils: These soils are made up of volcanic rocks and lava-flow. It is concentrated over Deccan Lava Tract which includes parts of Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu. It consists of Lime, Iron, Magnesium, and also Potash but lacks in Phosphorus, Nitrogen and Organic matter.
3. Red Soils: These are derived from weathering of ancient metamorphic rocks of Deccan Plateau. Its redness is due to iron composition. When iron content is lower it is yellow or brown. They cover almost the whole of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and parts of Orissa.
4. Laterite Soils: These soils are formed due to in-tense leaching and are well developed on the summits of hills and uplands.
   They are commonly found in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, and hilly areas of Orissa and Assam.
5. Mountain Soils: These soils are formed as a result of the accumulation of organic matter derived from forest growth. They are found in the Himalayan region and vary in different regions according to altitude. Tea is grown in those areas which receive sufficient rainfall.
6. Desert Soils: In the desert regions of Rajasthan, soils are not well developed. As evaporation is in excess of rainfall, the soil has a high salt content and the saline layer forms a hard crust. These soils are generally sandy and deficient in organic matter.