Question

What are the special characteristics of Alluvial soil?

Answer 1

• Depositional origin: transported and deposited by rivers (chiefly Indus, Ganga and Brahmaputra); therefore called riverine or transported soil.
• Texture and particle size vary widely: ranges from sandy loam to clay; particles are coarser and more porous in the upper (Piedmont) reaches and become finer and more clayey toward the lower course and deltas.
• Colour varies: From light/ash grey to deep black depending on source material, depth of deposition and maturity.
• Fertility and mineral content: generally very fertile and rich in potash, lime, iron and other minerals; however, it is often low in nitrogen and organic matter (except some deltaic alluvium like parts of the Ganga delta).