Question

Which of the following soils is suitable for cultivation of tea?
(A) Red soil
(B) Black soil
(C) Alluvial soil
(D) Laterite soil

Answer 1

Hint: Tea cultivation is an example of plantation agriculture. In India, it is a significant drink crop that was at first presented by the Britishers in India. Today, the majority of the tea ranches are possessed by Indians.

Complete step-by-step solution:
The tea plant grows well in deep and fertile well-drained laterite soil, rich in humus and organic matter, coupled with tropical and sub-tropical climates. Tea bushes require a moist and warm frost-free climate all through the year. Frequent showers over the year evenly distributed ensure continuous growth of tender leaves. Tea is a labor-intensive industry. It requires cheap, abundant, and skilled labor. To retain its freshness, tea is processed within the tea garden. The major states to grow tea are Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, the hills of Darjeeling and Jalpaiguri districts, and West Bengal. Other tea-producing states are Tripura, Himachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, and Uttarakhand. India was the second-largest country producer of tea after China in 2015.

Thus, option (D) is correct.

Note: Laterite soils when wet are as soft as butter but become hard and cloddy on drying. The laterite soils are particularly found on high flat erosion surfaces in areas of high and seasonal rainfall. The rotating dry and wet seasons lead to the draining endlessly of the siliceous matter of the stones abandoning the mixes of iron and aluminum. These are zonal soils. These soils have majorly formed in the higher areas of the peninsular plateau. The laterite soils are commonly found in the hilly areas of Orissa and Assam, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, and Kerala. These soils are reddish-brown in color due to the presence of iron oxide.