Question

What are the advantages and disadvantages of laterite soil?

Answer 1

Hint: Laterite comes from the Latin word "later," which means "brick." They are primarily tropical-based soils with high temperatures and considerable seasonal rainfall. It encourages soil drainage as a result of this. Lime and silica are always washed away by rain. Farraginous aluminous rock is believed to be found in laterite soils. Decomposition is what gives them their shape.

Complete answer:
Advantages-
Laterite soils are permeable to light.
They are simple to cultivate.
Due to the presence of huge levels of iron oxide, they appear red in colour.
Has a high clay content, which means it can hold more water.
Because it's porous, it's ideal for storing water in rural locations.
Disadvantages-
Because these soils are created through leaching, they contain fewer minerals and organic components.
As alkalis are leached, they are acidic in nature.
They aren't particularly fruitful.
They are generally coarse in texture and thus cannot retain moisture.

Additional information:
Uses of laterite soil-
It is good for growing crops like coffee, tea, rubber, coconut, cinchona, and others due to irrigation and correct fertiliser application.
Because it can be efficiently chopped with a spade yet hardens like iron when exposed to air, soil is a significant supply of building material.
Ruins often reveal laterite usage as a construction stone in laterite areas where a high level of culture formerly reigned.

Note:
Laterite soils in India are not particularly productive, and can only be used with a substantial amount of manure and fertiliser. They have a gritty texture and are deficient in nitrogen, phosphoric acid, potassium, and urea. These soils are reddish-brown in colour due to the presence of iron oxides. They're ideal for growing cashew nuts and tapioca. In India, these soils are used as building materials in the form of bricks. With the use of appropriate fertilisers, we may also use it for other agricultural purposes such as cotton, rice, wheat, legumes, tea, and coffee.