Question

Arid soil is formed in western Rajasthan. Its main features are:
I. Arid soils range from red to yellow.
II. They are generally sandy and saline.
III. Humus and moisture content is very low due to dry climate and faster evaporation.
IV. Thorny bushes are found in this region.

a.Only I, II, III
b.Only II and III
c.Only I, II and IV
d.Only II, III and IV

Answer 1

Hint: India has vast relief features, landforms,climatic areas and vegetation type. All these contribute to the development of various types of soils in India.

Complete Step by Step Answer:
Alluvial soil occurs mainly in the Satluj- Ganga- Brahmaputra Plains and is derived from the Himalayas. They lack potash and their colour also varies. This soil is suitable for the cultivation of Rice, maize, wheat, sugarcane, oilseeds, etc.
The new alluvial soil is called Khadar soil and the old alluvial soil is called Bhangar soil.

Red soil is found in the Tamil Nadu, Raj Mahal in the east and Kathiawad in the west. They lack lime, humus and nitrogen. It is good for the cultivation of wheat, cotton, pulses, tobacco, oilseeds etc.

Black soil is known as ‘Tropical Chernozems’ and is found in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh. The soil is rich in iron, lime, calcium and potash and has high water-retaining capacity. It is good for cotton and tobacco cultivation.

Arid soil is found in the arid and semi-arid areas of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Kachchh, Haryana and Punjab. They are sandy and it has very low water-retaining capacity. These are suitable for less water-intensive crops like Bajra, pulses and fodder.

Laterite soil is wet but ‘hard and cloddy’ on drying. These are found in Western Ghats, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal. These are poor in organic matter and are rich in iron and aluminium. They are suitable for rice, ragi and sugarcane cultivation.

Looking at the options given, option II, III and IV suffice with the Arid soils. Hence, the option 'd' is correct.

Note: ICAR has categorized soils of India based on genesis, colour, composition and location. They are;
(i) Alluvial soils
(ii) Black soils
(iii) Red and Yellow soils
(iv) Laterite soils
(v) Arid soils
(vi) Saline soils
(vii) Peaty soils
(viii) Forest soils.