Question

Name the various types of soil found in India.

Answer 1

Hint: Indian soils have been categorised on the basis of genesis, colour, composition and location. More than 4 soil types or varieties are found in India.
The different states of India have different soils which are formed by sediments and are rich in chemical ingredients which facilitate the growth of different crops.

Complete answer:
Soil is a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids and organisms that sustain life together. Earth's soil body, called the pedosphere, has four important functions:-
i. As a medium for growth of plants
ii. As a means of transportation, supply and purification of water
iii. As an alteration of the Earth's atmosphere
iv. A sanctuary for organisms
v. All of these functions, in essence, alter the soil and its properties.

There are six distinct soils in India. The soil is our main natural and economic resource. The soils in India differ in both composition and structure.
1. Alluvial Soils:- They are formed by the deposition of river sediments. They're high in humus and very fertile. They are present in the Great Northern Plain, also they can be found in the lower valleys of Narmada and Tapti as well as in regions of Northern Gujarat. These soils are renewed each year.
2. Black Soils:- These soils are made up of volcanic rocks and lava flows. These soils are found mainly in the Deccan Lava Tract, which includes parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. It consists of lime, iron, magnesium and even potash, but it lacks phosphorus, nitrogen and organic matter.
3. Red Soils:- They are derived from the weathering of the ancient metamorphic rocks of the Deccan Plateau. Its redness is a result of its iron composition. If the iron content is lower, it is yellow or brown. They occupy almost all of Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Maharashtra and parts of Orissa.
4. Laterite Soils:- These soils are formed by in-tense leaching and are well built on the sum of hills and uplands. They are commonly found in Kerala, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu and the hilly regions of Orissa and Assam.
5. Mountain Soils:- These soils are formed as a result of the deposition of organic matter resulting from the growth of forests. They are found in the Himalayan region and vary by altitude in different areas. Tea is cultivated in areas where there is ample rainfall.
6. Desert Soils:- In the desert regions of Rajasthan, the soil is not well developed. When evaporation exceeds rainfall, the soil is highly saline and the salty layer forms a hard crust. These soils are usually sandy and low in organic matter.

Note: Apart from the soils mentioned above, there are also marine deposits in India. These soils are found in a narrow belt near the south-western coast of India.
The marine deposits have a relatively low shear strength as well as high compressibility. Marine clays are soft and very plastic.
They contain a significant amount of organic matter and are not ideal for the construction of megastructures such as towers, cranes, etc. Alluvial soil is the largest community of soils in India. Alluvial soil is formed by the silt deposition of the Indo-Gangetic-Brahmaputra rivers. This community of soils occupies about 46% of the total land area.