Soil Types Of IndiaSoil Types Of India

Covering the largest area in India, alluvial soils are formed by the deposition of silt brought down by rivers.

• Geographical Distribution: Spans across the Northern Plains from Punjab to Assam, as well as coastal deltas of Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Cauvery.
• Sub-divisions (Bangar and Khadar): Bangar is older alluvium containing calcareous nodules (kankar); Khadar is newer, more fertile alluvium flooded annually.
• Chemical Composition: Rich in potash, phosphoric acid, and lime, but generally deficient in nitrogen and humus.
• Crop Suitability: Highly suitable for intensive cultivation of wheat, rice, sugarcane, cotton, and oilseeds.

Derived from volcanic basalt rocks, black soils possess unique self-ploughing and moisture-retentive properties.

• Formation & Color: Formed due to weathering of basaltic lava; black color is attributed to titaniferous magnetite and iron-humus compounds.
• Physical Characteristics: Extremely sticky when wet and develops deep wide cracks during dry summers, aiding natural aeration (self-ploughing).
• Moisture Retention: High clay content (montmorillonite mineral) gives exceptional capacity to retain moisture for long durations.
• Major Crop: Ideal for cotton cultivation, earning it the name 'Regur' or Black Cotton Soil.

Found in regions of low rainfall and high temperature, characterized by iron oxides and leaching processes.

• Red Soil Formation: Develops on crystalline igneous rocks in areas of low rainfall in the eastern and southern parts of the Deccan Plateau.
• Yellow Soil Variation: Appears yellow when it occurs in a hydrated form, commonly observed in parts of Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
• Laterite Soil Origin: Derived from the Latin word 'later' (brick); formed under conditions of high temperature and heavy alternating rainfall leading to intense leaching.
• Economic Utility: Laterite soils are acidic and poor in nutrients, but heavily fertilized laterites support plantation crops like tea, coffee, and rubber.

Specialized soil groups conditioned by extreme climatic factors, poor drainage, or organic accumulation.

• Arid / Desert Soils: Red to brown in color, sandy in texture, highly saline with a high calcium carbonate (kankar) layer restricting water infiltration downward.
• Saline and Alkaline Soils: Locally known as Usar, Thur, or Kallar; contains excess sodium, potassium, and magnesium making them infertile without gypsum treatment.
• Peaty and Marshy Soils: Found in areas of heavy rainfall and high humidity where large quantities of dead organic matter accumulate, giving high soluble salts and high acidity.
• Forest and Mountain Soils: Heterogeneous soils found in forested mountain regions; acidic with low humus content in snow-bound areas, but fertile in valley bases.