Soil Resources of the Indian Sub-continent

Soil Resources of the Indian Sub-continent

Soil

Soil forms the upper layer of the Earth's crust, capable of supporting life.

• It is made up of loose rock materials and humus.

• The soil-forming processes are mainly influenced by the parent rock, climate, vegetation, and animal life.

Importance of Soil Resources

Soil is an extremely important resource, especially in agricultural countries like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.

• Most food items, like rice, wheat, pulses, fruits, and vegetables, and much of our clothing are derived from the soil directly or indirectly.

• Soil also gives us firewood, timber, rubber, fibres, etc. Food like milk, meat, and eggs are obtained indirectly from the soil.

• Flowers, grass, plants, and trees are also grown in soil.

Soil Erosion and Its Types

Removal of the top layer of soil when it is exposed to wind and rain is easily blown or washed away. This condition is known as soil erosion.

BSoilcover is removed by two powerful agents:

1. Running water

2. Wind

Types of Soil Found in India

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) divides Indian soils into eight groups:

(a) Alluvial soil

(b) Black soil

(c) Red soil

(d) Laterites and Lateritic soil

(e) Arid and Desert soil

(f) Saline and Alkaline soil

(g) Forest soil

(h) Peaty and other organic soil

However, Indian soils are generally divided into four broad types:

1. Alluvial soils

2. Regur soils

3. Red soils

4. Laterite soils

Alluvial Soils

• This is the most important and widespread category. It covers 40% of the land area. 

• The entire Northern Plains is made up of these soils.

• They have been brought down and deposited by three great Himalayan rivers – Sutlej, Ganga, and Brahmaputra, and their tributaries.

• Through a narrow corridor in Rajasthan, they extend to the plains of Gujarat.

• They are common in Eastern coastal plains and the deltas of Mahanadi, Godavari, Krishna, and Cauvery (Kaveri).

Crops Grown: Suitable for Kharif & Rabi Crops like cereals, cotton, oilseeds, and sugarcane. The lower Ganga-Brahmaputra Valley is useful for jute cultivation.

Regur or Black Soils

• These soils are of volcanic origin.

• These soils are black and are also known as black soils.

• Since they are ideal for growing cotton, they are also called black cotton soils, in addition to their normal nomenclature of Regur soils.

• These soils are most typical of the Deccan trap (Basalt) region, spread over the north-west Deccan plateau, and are made up of lava flows.

• They cover the plateaus of Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa, and southern Madhya Pradesh and extend eastward in the south along the Godavari and Krishna Valleys.

Crops Grown: Cotton, Jowar, Wheat, Sugarcane, Linseed, Gram, Fruit & Vegetable.

Red Soils

• Formed by the weathering of a crystalline and metamorphic mixture of clay and sand.

• These soils are developed on old crystalline Igneous rocks under moderate to heavy rainfall conditions.

• These are red because of their high iron oxide (FeO) content.

• These are deficient in phosphoric acid, organic matter, and nitrogenous material.

• Red soils cover the eastern part of the peninsular region, comprising Chhotanagpur plateau, Odisha (Orissa), eastern Chhattisgarh, Telangana, the Nilgiris, and Tamil Nadu plateau.

• These extend northwards in the west along the Konkan coast of Maharashtra.

Crops Grown: Wheat, Rice, Millets, Pulses.

Laterite Soils

• The Laterite soils are formed due to the leaching/weathering of lateritic rocks in high temperatures and heavy rainfall with alternate dry and wet periods.

• They are found along the edge of the plateau in the east, covering small parts of Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and a small part of Chhotanagpur in the north and Meghalaya in the north-east.

• Laterite soils are red in colour with a high content of iron-oxides; poor in Nitrogen and Lime.

Crops Grown: Though unsuitable for agriculture due to high content of acidity and inability to retain moisture, tea, coffee, rubber, cinchona, cashew, coconut, and arecanut are grown on laterite soil.

Arid & Desert Soil

• Region: NW India. Covers the entire area of the west Aravalis in Rajasthan and parts of Haryana, Punjab & Gujarat.

• Characteristics: Rich in Phosphates and Calcium but deficient in Nitrogen and humus.

• Crops Grown: Fertile if irrigated, e.g., Ganganagar area of Rajasthan (Wheat basket of Rajasthan).

Kinds of Agriculture

Origin of Some Crops

Final Thoughts

Soil is the foundation of life on Earth, providing the essential base for plants, animals, and human survival. It not only supports agriculture but also influences ecosystems, water cycles, and biodiversity. The diverse types of soils in India, such as alluvial, black, red, and laterite, each play a significant role in supporting different crops and livelihoods.

However, soil erosion caused by wind and water threatens this valuable resource. Protecting soil through sustainable farming, afforestation, and soil conservation methods is vital.

As one of nature’s most crucial resources, healthy soil ensures food security, economic growth, and environmental balance for future generations.