what is laterite, arid , alluvial soil in 3 and easy language
Answers
Types of Soil in India – Alluvial soil
The alluvial soil occurs mainly in the Satluj- Ganga- Brahmaputra Plains. They are also found in the valleys of the Narmada, Tapi, and the Eastern and Western coastal plains. These soils are mainly derived from the debris brown from the Himalayas. This soil is well-drained and poorly drained with an immature profile in undulating areas. This soil has potash deficiency. The color of soil varies from light grey to ash. This soil is suited for Rice, maize, wheat, sugarcane, oilseeds, etc.
This soil is divided into
Khadar Soil (New): the khadar soils are enriched with fresh silts. They are low lying, frequently inundated by floods during the rainy season. It occupies the flood plains of rivers. The khaddar tracts called as kankar are rich in concentration.
Bhangar Soil (Old): This soil lies above the flood level. It is well-drained but because of the calcium carbonate nodules. The texture of soil varies from the loamy soil to clayey soil.Types of Soil in India – Laterite Soil
Laterite Soil
These soft, when they are wet and ‘hard and cloddy’ on drying. These are found mainly in the hills of the Western Ghats, Raj Mahal hills, Eastern Ghats, Satpura, Vindhya, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, North Cachar Hills, and the Garo hills. These are poor in organic matter, nitrogen, potassium, lime, and potash. These iron and aluminium rich soils are suitable for the cultivation of rice, ragi, sugarcane, and cashew nuts.rid Soils
Arid soils range from red to brown in colour.
They are generally sandy in structure and
saline in nature. In some areas, the salt content
is so high that common salt is obtained by
evaporating the saline water. Due to the dry
climate, high temperature and accelerated
evaporation, they lack moisture and humus.
Nitrogen is insufficient and the phosphate
Figure 6.3 : Black Soil During Dry Season
Figure 6.4 : Arid Soilcontent is normal. Lower horizons of the soil
are occupied by ‘kankar’ layers because of the
increasing calcium content downwards. The
‘Kankar’ layer formation in the bottom horizons
restricts the infiltration of water, and as such
when irrigation is made available, the soil
moisture is readily available for a sustainable
plant growth. Arid soils are characteristically
developed in western Rajasthan, which exhibit
characteristic arid topography. These soils are
poor and contain little humus and organic matter.