How Many Types of Soil are Found in India

Introduction

There are eight types of soil found in India. They are Alluvial soil, Black soil, Red soil, laterite soil, desert soil, Mountain soil, Alkaline soil, and Peaty soil. Soil is the uppermost layer of the earth’s crust, formed by the continuous weathering of mountains over thousands of years. Soil is composed of organic materials, air, water, and minerals. Soil is the essential component of our ecosystem because directly or indirectly every living depending on the soil. Crops and plants can not grow with soil as it provides food and supports to them.

When rocks undergo physical and chemical weathering lose their strength and break down small components this process continues and after thousands of years, it is converted into finer particles which mix with other components like organic material, water, air and other minerals resulting in the formation of soil.

Types of Soils

The soils of India have been classified into eight types which are mentioned below :

Alluvial Soil

These soils cover about 40% of the total land of the country. Alluvial soil is considered the most fertile soil as it is formed by the deposition of minerals by rivers and seas over thousands of years. It is mostly found in the northern plains along the river Ganges and in the Sundarbans delta. rice, wheat, sugarcane, tobacco, maize, cotton, soybean, jute, oilseeds, fruits, vegetables, etc these crops grow best in alluvial soil.

Black Soil

Black soil covers most of the Deccan Plateau and some parts of Tamil Nadu. These soils are also known as the ‘Black Cotton Soil’. Cotton and sugarcane grow best in black soil. The black soil is rich in clay and becomes sticky when wet and shrinks when dried. In the dry season, these soil develop wide cracks. Thus, there occurs a kind of ‘self-ploughing’. Because of this character of slow absorption and loss of moisture, the black soil retains the moisture for a very long time, which helps the crops to sustain even during the dry season.

Red Soil

Red soil is formed by the weathering of igneous rocks over thousands of years. It is found mainly in low-rainfall areas. It is characterised by its red colour and this colour is due to the presence of ferric oxide. It is not very fertile soil but responds very well to fertilisers. The red soils, with the proper use of fertilisers and irrigation techniques, give a good yield of cotton, wheat, rice, pulses, millets, tobacco, etc.

Laterite Soil

Iron oxide-rich laterite soil is created when a variety of rocks weather under intensely oxidising and leaching circumstances. Rain causes soils rich in iron oxide and aluminium compounds to be left behind as lime and silica are washed away. Bacteria that do well in hot climates quickly deplete the soil's humus content. Since laterites cannot be farmed, it is necessary to apply manures and fertilisers to the soil in order to make it acceptable for farming. Numerous crops, including coconut, banana, tapioca, vegetables, pepper, pineapple, and fruit trees, can be cultivated on this type of soil.

Desert Soil

The colour of desert soils ranges from red to brown. They are deficient in moisture and humus because of the arid climate, high temperatures, and increased evaporation. The amount of phosphate is normal, while the amount of nitrogen is deficient. Because the soil's calcium content rises as it descends, the lower horizons are home to "kankar" layers. As a result of the "Kankar" layer creation in the bottom layers restricting water infiltration, when irrigation is enabled, the soil moisture is easily accessible for long-term plant growth.

Saline Soils

They go by the name Usara soils as well. Saline soils are infertile and incapable of supporting any vegetative development because they have higher concentrations of sodium, potassium, and magnesium. They have higher salts, primarily as a result of the dry weather and inadequate drainage. They can be found in wet and marshy environments as well as desert and semi-arid regions. They might have a sandy or loamy texture. They lack calcium and nitrogen. Western Gujarat, the deltas of the eastern coast, and the Sunderban regions of West Bengal are where saline soils are more prevalent. The Southwest Monsoon transports salt flakes to the Rann of Kachchh, where it deposits as a crust.

Peaty Soil

They can be found when there is a healthy development of plants in locations with high humidity and significant rainfall. As a result, a significant amount of dead organic matter gathers in these locations, providing the soil with rich humus and organic content. These soils may contain as much as 40–50% organic matter. Typically, these soils are dark and thick. Additionally, they are alkaline in many places. It is prevalent along the coasts of West Bengal, Orissa, and Tamil Nadu as well as the northern part of Bihar, the southern portion of Uttaranchal, and the southern part of Bihar.

Mountain Soil

Forest soils, as the name implies, form in forested places when there is enough rainfall. Depending on the mountain environment in which they were developed, the soils have different structures and textures. On the valley sides and upper slopes, they are coarse-grained and loamy. They are acidic, have little humus, and are denuded in the Himalayan regions covered with snow. The lower valleys' soils are rich in fertility.

Conclusion

Eight types of soils are found in India each of them has different characteristics.