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In this article, we would discuss the classification and types of soil.

Important facts about soil:

1. The branch of science that deals with study of soil is called pedology.
2. Enrichment of water with nutrients, mainly phosphorus, which causes abundant aquatic plant growth is called eutrophication.
3. Layers of soil parallel to each other whose physical characteristics are different from one another is called soil profile.
4. Topsoil is the most productive layer.
5. It can take over 500 years for natural processes to lead to formation of 2 centimetres of topsoil.
6. Based on the study of paleosols (soil formed in the past and preserved under sediments, volcanic deposits, etc) in India, Pakistan and Nepal, onset of Indian monsoon has been estimated to have occurred about 8 million years ago.
7. Soil stores 10% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions.

Classification of soils

1. It is the grouping of soils on the basis of their morphology (structure and texture), form, appearance and fertility.

2. Based on genesis, colour, composition and location, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) divides soil into two categories: major soils and minor soils.

3. The traditional divisions of soils are Zonal, Intrazonal and Azonal.

4. Alluvial, black, red and laterite are examples of major soils.

5. Organic, forest, desert, peat, alkaline and saline are examples of minor soils.

6. Here are the major types of soils in the Indian Subcontinent:

a. Alluvial Soil: Light grey to ash grey in colour, it is one of the most productive soils in India. It is formed due to deposition by streams and winds. It is poor in nitrogen, phosphorus and humus but rich in potash. It is suitable for both rabi and kharif crops like cereals, cotton, oilseeds and sugarcane. In India, alluvial soil covers 40% of the land area and has been formed by the three great Himalayan rivers, namely Sutlej, Brahmaputra, Ganga and their tributaries. It is commonly found in the eastern coastal plains and in the deltas of Godavari, Mahanadi, Krishna and Kaveri.

b. Black soil (Regur soil): This soil is volcanic in origin (made up of lava flows) and black to grey in colour. It is formed due to decomposition of basalt rocks of the Deccan plateau. As it is ideal for growing cotton, it is also known as black cotton soil. This soil covers plateaus of Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa and southern Madhya Pradesh, extending to the southeast along the Godavari and Krishna valleys. Cotton, jowar, wheat, sugarcane, linseed, gram, fruits and vegetables, are examples of crops grown in black soil.

c. Red soil: It is sandy in texture and red in colour due to the presence of iron oxide. Red soil develops on old crystalline and metamorphic rocks under moderate to heavy rainfall. However, it is deficient in phosphoric acid, organic matter and nitrogenous material. Eastern part of the peninsular region, Odisha, eastern Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and Karnataka have large extent of land with red soil. Crops grown in red soil are wheat, millet, rice, pulses, cotton, potato and coarse grains.

d. Laterite Soil: This is formed when the humus content from the soil gets washed off due to seasonal rainfall in warm climates leaving it acidic. Due to high acidity and inability to retain moisture, laterite soil is unfit for agriculture. It is found in small parts of Tamil Nadu, Orissa and coastal margins of the southern peninsula from West Bengal to southern Maharashtra. Application of fertilizers and manures can make it crop-worthy.

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