Published on: 17-Jan-2025
Updated on: 17-Jan-2025
We all have heard this patriotic song at least once in our lives “ Mere desh ki dharti (mitti)” which clearly shows the love of Indians for the soil which gives us food to survive and to maintain a better livelihood.
If we pay attention to the lyrics of the song, we will find out that the soil plays a crucial role in producing gold harvests in the form of wheat or mustard and other crops. It clearly means the soil is essential to maintaining the nation’s agricultural output and fostering diverse ecosystems.
Soils are a mixture of organic matter, minerals, gases, liquids, and living microorganisms and comprise some crucial elements such as water, air, mineral particles, etc.
Various forces of nature, such as changes in temperature, actions of running water, wind, glaciers, and activities of decomposers, contribute to the formation of soil over thousands of years.
Here are 8 major types of soil in India listed below:
- Alluvial Soils,
- Red Soils,
- Black Soils (Regur),
- Desert Soils,
- Laterite Soils,
- Mountain Soils,
- Alkaline Soils
- Peaty and Marshy Soils.
Types of Soil in India
There are various types of soil found in India that vary from its nature, texture, fertility, landforms, climatic realms, vegetation, and other unique traits. Every soil has its own characteristics and challenges according to its features.
1. Alluvial soil
- Alluvial soil is the largest group of soil in India that mainly originated from the Indo-Ganga-Brahmaputra Plains, the valleys of Narmada and Tapi, and the Eastern and Western Coastal Plains.
- This soil is Fertile in nature and varies from light grey to ash grey along with its sandy texture to silty loam.
- This soil is rich in potash phosphoric acid and alkaline which is an important mineral but deficient in nitrogen.
- Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar Odisha, west Bengal, and Assam are some major states where alluvial soil is prevalent.
- Crops like rice, wheat, maize, and millet are grown in alluvial soil.
In India, alluvial soils are classified into two different types
a) Khadar soil
- This is also known as new alluvial soil which is frequently inundated by floods during the rainy season.
- This soil is rich in nutrients like lime and potash, humus along with high fertility that allows suitability for agriculture.
- This soil is mostly found in low-lying areas near rivers, including floodplains and riverbeds.
b) Bangar soil
- This soil is also called old alluvial soil because it is formed from ancient river deposits that have been weathered and left in higher terraces that are away from the river's active floodplain.
- This soil is generally well drained but contains a lot of concretion (kankar) with a texture of loamy soil and clayey loam.
- This soil is packed with these minerals: Humus, phosphoric acid, lime, and organic matter. However, they are deficient in potash.
- If fertility can be improved by the fertilizers then rice, pulses, and wheat crops can be grown in this soil.
- Bangar soils are also mostly found in Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal some eastern parts of Rajasthan.
2. Red soil
- Red soil is the most common soil that is found in India as it covers around 18.5% of India’s total geographical area with a warm climate and moderate rainfall.
- It comprises a texture of red on the upper due to high iron content while the horizon below is yellowish in color, and varies from sand to clay and loam.
- This soil is rich in phosphate, magnesia, nitrogen, humus, and potash and typically deficient in lime,
- It is mostly found in areas of western Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, southern Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Orissa.
- Crops that require more water for cultivation such as cotton, pulses, tobacco, millets, oilseeds (linseed), potatoes, and orchards are grown in red soil.
3. Black soil
- Black soil is famous as regur soil which is a vital and fertile type in India. They are mature soil that needs almost annual rainfall that varies between 50 and 75 cm. This soil belongs to the weathered rock family.
- Similar to its name it is black in color due to high magnesium content in it and gets the texture of Clay, heavy, and sticky when wet.
- This soil contains iron, lime, calcium, potash, aluminum, and magnesium. However, they are deficient in nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic matter.
- Black soil is predominantly found in the states like Gujarat, Maharashtra, western Madhya Pradesh, north-western Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand.
- These soils are most productive for cultivation and allow crops like cotton, pulses, millets, linseed, castor, tobacco, sugarcane, vegetables, and citrus fruits to be grown.
4. Desert soil
- Desert soil is majorly found in arid and semi-arid regions of India, especially in areas with scanty rainfall and excess temperatures. The Indira Gandhi Canal changed the quality of the desert soil of western Rajasthan.
- It has a light brown to reddish-brown type of color with a texture of Sandy to coarse, along with low water-holding capacity.
- Desert soil is substantially found in Rajasthan, west of the Aravallis, northern Gujarat, Saurashtra, Kutch, western parts of Haryana, and the southwestern parts of Punjab.
- Desert soil is abundant with a high percentage of soluble salts and calcium carbonate. Also less with organic matter and nitrogen.
- Despite low fertility, certain drought-resistant and hardy crops that can be cultivated in Desert soil are mainly devoted to bajra, pulses, guar, and fodder.
Also Read: Sandy Soil - What is sandy soil and in which area is it found most?
5. Laterite soil
- Laterite soil is a well-drained soil that mostly develops in regions with high temperatures and heavy rainfall, especially in tropical and subtropical climates. Due to high temperatures, it turns into dried soil that is mostly used to make bricks.
- This soil is characterized by Clayey and loamy texture in some areas but can be coarse and gravelly in others. Along with a reddish-brown color due to the high content of iron and aluminum oxides.
- Nutrients like nitrogen, potash, potassium, lime, and organic matter are washed away due to excessive rainfall, leading to a higher amount of iron and aluminum.
- Laterite soil mainly originated in states like Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, the North Cachar Hills of Assam, and the Garo Hills of Meghalaya.
- Agriculture can be possible with the help of fertilizers in this crop to grow crops like rice, ragi, sugarcane, and cashew nuts.
6. Mountain soil
- Mountain soils are also popular with the name forest soil and hilly soil, these cover almost 3.7% of India’s total geographical area. It is important for supporting vegetation and agriculture in high-altitude areas.
- This soil has a Coarse and sandy texture, with variations from loamy to silty depending on the region. The soil’s red color is due to the presence of iron oxide.
- These soils are rich in iron and aluminum but poor in nitrogen, potash, potassium, lime, and organic matter.
- This soil is abundantly found in the Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, North Cachar Hills of Assam, and the Garo Hills of Meghalaya.
- Crops like apples, tea, maize, and potatoes can be grown in mountain soil.
7. Saline and alkaline soil
- Saline and alkaline soil are also called sodic soil because they appear on the surface as a layer of white salt through capillary action.
- These soils have the texture of sandy loams and have the color of light gray to white due to salt accumulation.
- They are low in nitrogen and calcium and have very low water retention capacity. It also forms hard crusts on the surface due to salt deposition.
- Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Maharashtra are the major states where this soil is available.
- This soil allows for cultivating salt-resistant crops like berseem, dhaincha, and other leguminous crops.
8. Marshy soil
- Marshy soils are generally found in areas of heavy rainfall where adequate drainage is unavailable.
- This soil is Clayey and sticky in nature and dark in color due to organic matter and reduced oxygen conditions.
- This soil is packed with organic matter and highly saline but deficient in phosphate and potash.
- Marshy soil is found in regions with abundant water stagnation, such as the Kottayam and Alappuzha districts of Kerala and the Sundarban Delta.
- Aquatic crops and or water-reliant crops are grown on this soil such as rice, jute, coconut, lotus, etc.
Importance of soil
Soil is an essential component of the Earth's ecosystem that supports life by providing a medium for plants to grow and smooth the way for many ecological processes. Below are the primary functions of soil. Here are some important functions of soil.
- Support plan life: Soil is the main component for facilitating the process of plant growth. It establishes a suitable environment for plant roots to anchor, grow, and expand. It also helps to supply all the necessary nutrients to plants to survive.
- Water regulation: Soil plays an important role in the movement, storage, and purification of water. With the help of its porous structure, the soil absorbs rainwater, which allows it to infiltrate and replenish groundwater systems. It also helps regulate the water cycle that directly supports both surface and subsurface water flow.
- Shelter for microorganisms: Soil is the habitat of soil organisms like bacteria, fungi, earthworms, and insects and works as a home for the tiny creatures that contribute to soil health, nutrient cycling, and decomposition processes.
- Landscape Formation: Soil helps to form and preserve landforms by interacting with natural forces such as wind, water, and gravity. It plays a vital role by supporting the growth of vegetation, which helps stabilize landforms.