Karnataka State New syllabus/ Social Science/ Geography/ Chapter 4

1. SOILS OF INDIA
GEOGRAPHY
CHAPTER 4

2. INTRODUCTION
• Soil is one of the most important natural
resources.
• Soil is formed by the weathering of rocks
under different types of climate.
• Some soils are deposited by the agents of
denudation.
• Soils include decayed materials of plants and
animals organic matter.

3. TYPES OF SOILS

4. ALLUVIAL SOIL
• The soil in the lower area is known as alluvial soil.
• It is extensively spread over vast areas in India.
• It is deposited aproximately 7.7 million sq.km.
• This type of soil is covered in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar,
West Bengal, Odisha, Punjab, Hariyana, and
Bhrahmaputra valley of Assam.
• Marmada and Tapti valleyss and coastal planes on
both sides.
• Main crops are wheat, paddy, sugarcane, cotton
and jute.

5. BLACK SOIL
• It is also called regur soil.
• It is best suited for cotton cultivation.
• This type of soil is seen about 5.46 sq.km
• The area of black soil is also called Deccan Trap.
• The soil is formed from the weathering of igneous
rocks.
• It contains more of clay particles.
• It is fertile and capable of retaining water.

6. BLACK SOIL
• Found in Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya
Pradesh, Western areas of Andhra Pradesh
and North Karnataka.
• It has more lime and magnesium carbonate.
• Highly suitable for dry farming. Cotton jowar,
wheat, onion, chilli, tobacco, oil seeds, lemon
and grapes are major crops growing in this soil

7. RED SOIL
• Largest area of peninsular plateau covers red soil.
• It is found in about 5.18 lakh sq.km
• It can be seen from Kanyakumari and Jhansi.
• It spreads from Kutch to Raj Mahal hills.
• The major crops are ragi, tobacco and oil seeds.
• Areas having irrigation facility grow paddy,
sugarcane, cotton etc.

8. LATERITE SOIL
• It is found in the areas receiving more than
200cms of rainfall.
• The minerals are washed off leaving behind ferric
oxide and aluminium in the surface soil.
• Hence it looks red in colour.
• The minerals dissolved in the water percolate to
deeper layer of the soil and insoluble oxides of
iron and aluminum are found in the top layers.

9. • Laterite soil is less fertile and lack nitrogen and
minerals.
• In India this type of soil is found in about 2.48
lack sq.kms extending over the Western
Ghats, the Vindhyas, the Satpuras, the
Rajmahal hills and Poorvachal region.
• It is suitable for the cultivation of coffee and
tea and other plantation crops.

10. DESERT SOIL
• It is formed in the regions of less raindfall and high
temperature.
• It is red and brown colour.
• Water percolates easily without retentive and moisture
gets reduced in the soil.
• 1.4 lakh sq.km of this soil is found in India.
• Jowar, Sajje and dates grow in this soil.
• It is found in north west Rajastan and adjoining areas
of Punjab, Haryana, Kutch area of Western Gujarat and
the Western parts of Aravalli mountains.

11. MOUNTAIN SOIL
• It cotnains plenty of decayed organic matter.
• This soil is found on the lower slopes of the
mountains.
• It is very rich in nitrogen and organic residues.
• It is suitable for the growth of coffee, tea, spices
and fruits.
• Foothills of the Himalayas, Jammu and Kashmir,
Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, West Bengal and
other mountains have this soil

12. SOIL EROSION
• Transportaiton of surface soil by
various natural forces is called soil
erosion.
• Running water, winds and sea waves
are the main causes of soil erosion

13. CAUSES OF SOIL EROSION
• Deforestation
• Overgrazing
• Unscientific methods of cultivation.
• Over irrigation
• Manufacture of bricks and pots

14. Effects of soil erosion
• It leads to accumulation of silt in the
river.
• Accumulation of silt changes the
direction of the river course.
• Storage capacity of the reservoirs get
reduced.
• The volume of water percolating down
gets reduced, natural springs dry up.

15. What is conservation of soil?
• Prevention of soil erosion and protecting
the fertility of the soil is known as
Conservation of Soil.
• Protecting the fertility of the soil and using
the soil in a healthy way for increasing the
agricultural produce is its management.
• Five-year plans gave more importance to
this.

16. Ways of preventing soil erosion
• Contour Ploughing
• Construction of bunds around the agriculture
land.
• Development of terraced field.
• Prevention of deforestation.
• Control of grazing (permanent pasture)
• Planned use of water
• Construction of check bund