Download indian alluvial soil - British Council Schools Online

INDIAN ALLUVIAL SOIL
Characteristics:
 These soils are mainly derived from the debris brought down from the
Himalayas or from the silt left out by the retreating sea. Their color varies
from light grey to ash grey and the texture is sandy to silty loam.
 These soils are both well drained These soils have an immature profile in
undulating land while the flat lands have a more mature profile. The coastal
alluvial soils are of tidal origin and are poorly drained.
Area Covered:
 They also occur in the valleys of Narmada and Tapi in Madhya Pradesh and
Gujarat; Mahanadi in Chhattisgarh and Orissa; Godavari in Andhra Pradesh;
Krishna in Karanataka and Andhra Pradesh and Kaveri in Tamilnadu. Along the
coast of Kerala these are called coastal alluvium and in the deltas of the
Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri as deltaic alluvium.
Crops Grown:
 These soils are well suited to irrigation which helps in raising a number of
crops like rice, jute, sugarcane, wheat, cotton, maize, oil seeds, fruits and
vegetables. These constitute the rice and wheat bowls of India and support
large clusters of population.
INDIAN RED SOIL
AREA
 Large parts of Tamil Nadu,
Karnataka, eastern Andhra
Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Orissa
have red soil.
CHARACTERISTICS
 Red in color .
 Deficient in nitrogen, lime,
phosphoric acid and humus.
 Rich in potash.
 Porous, friable but not retentive of
moisture.
CROPS GROWN
 Wheat, rice, millets, cotton, sugar
cane and pulses.
LATERITE SOIL
1.Places
Maharastra,Kerala, Karnataka, Assam, Madhya
Pradesh,Orissa,Tamil Nadu, West Bengal
2. Crops grown
Tea,Coffee,Cashew nut,Mango,Coconut
3. Characteristics of the soil
Accumulation of sesquioxdies in top layer.
Soil reaction is acidic .
Poor base saturation .
When dry it becomes hard & thus forms a useful
building material.
Crust formation near the surface , nodular concretion,
induration.
MOUNTAIN SOIL IN INDIA
Mountain soil is a type of soil found in mountaineous regions that
flows down along the rivers to other non-mountaineous regions.
AREA WHERE IT FOUND
Mountain soils are mainly found in hill slopes and are formed by
deposition of organic matter from woodlands and forests. Mountain
soils are generally located in the dry and cold districts like Ladakh,
Lahaul and Spiti District, Kinnaur District etc.Mountains soils are
mostly found in the Himalayan regions, Sikkim,Assam, Arunachal
Pradesh and Kashmir and also in the Peninsula,Eastern Ghats and the
summits of Sahyadris.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SOIL
The basic character of the mountain soils depend on the climate and
are mainly found in the warm temperate belt or the cool temperate
belt of the Himalaya Mountains. Brown forest soil is mainly found in
the warm temperate belt lying at heights ranging from 900 to 1800
metres, which has deciduous forests. This belt comprises enough
warmth for decomposition of vegetation. The typical brown forest soil
of this zone is rich in humus and is deep. Further, mountains soils are
rich in humus, slightly acidic and are fertile. Mountains soils are also
deprived in lime and potash content. They are largely used for raising
different varieties of crops.
CROPS GROWN IN THIS SOIL
Various types of crops are cultivated on mountain soil like coffee, tea,
wheat, maize, barley, tropical fruits and various types of spices..