Soil types of india

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©Debasish B.
Soil Types of India
Submitted by:
Mr. Debasish Buragohain,
Range Forest Officer (Trainee),
2017-19 Batch,
Kundal Academy of Development, Administration and Management (Forest), Kundal,
Sangli, Maharashtra- 416309
Soil is the mixture of rock debris and organic materials which develop on the earth’s
surface. The major factors affecting the formation of soil are relief, parent material, climate,
time, and biodiversity including the human activities. India is a diverse country with variety
of relief features, landforms, climatic realms and vegetation types. These have contributed in
the development of various types of soils in India.
In ancient times, soils used to be classified into two main groups – Urvara and Usara,
which were fertile and sterile, respectively. In medieval times, the soils were classified based
on the external features such as texture, colour, slope of land and moisture content in the soil.
So, the soils were identified as sandy, clayey, silty and loamy, etc. Then, they were also
classified based on colour such as red soil, yellow soil, black soil, etc.
Geologically, Indian soils can broadly be divided into soils of peninsular India and
soils of extra-peninsular India. The soils of Peninsular India are formed by the decomposition
of rocks in situ, i.e. directly from the underlying rocks. Soils of Peninsular India are
transported and re-deposited to a limited extent and are known as sedentary soils. The soils of
the Extra-Peninsula are formed due to the depositional work of rivers and wind. They are
very deep. They are often referred to as transported or azonal soils.
The Indian soils have been classified by ICAR based on characters as per the United
States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Soil Taxonomy. These types are as follows:
S.N. Soil Type Characteristics % of total area of
India
1 Inceptisols Weakly developed young Soil. 39.74
2 Entisols Underdeveloped, less fertile Soil. 28.08
3 Alfisols Pale, grayish brown to reddish in colour with
moderate-to-high reserves of basic cations
and are fertile. However, their productivity
depends on moisture and temperature. They
are supplemented by the moderate
application of lime and other chemical
fertilizers.
13.55
4 Vertisols These are expandable clay soils, composed of
more than 30 per cent clays. Vertisol clays
are black when wet and become iron hard
when dry. When drying, Vertisols crack and
the cracks widen and deepen as the soil dries;
this produces cracks 2-3 cm wide. These are
productive soils. The regur soils of India are
8.52

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©Debasish B.
an example of vertisols.
5 Aridisols Ardisoil is the largest single soil order occurs
in dry regions of the world. These soils
occupy nearly 19 per cent of the earth’s land
surface. These are pale and light near the
surface, deficit in moisture. Lack in organic
matter. Salinisation is the main problem of
these soils. Salinisation complicates farming
in Aridisols.
4.28
6 Ultisols Highly weathered forest soil, which tend to
be reddish in colour because of residual iron
and aluminium oxides in a horizon. The
increased precipitation in ultisol regions
means greater mineral alteration, more
leaching, and therefore, a lower level of
fertility. Fertility is further reduced by certain
agricultural practices and the effect of soil
damaging crops such as cotton and tobacco.
These soils need substantial management.
2.51
7 Mollisols Most productive soils of the earth. They are
rich in humus content. They have dark –
colored surface. Mollisols are soft, even
when dry, with granular pads, loosely
arranged when dry. These humus rich organic
soils are high in basic cations and has high
fertility. Soils of the steppes and prairies of
the world belong to this group.
0.4
8 Others 2.92
On the basis of Genesis, Colour, Composition and Location, the soils of India has
been classified by ICAR into following 8 major groups:
1. Alluvial Soil- 22.16%
2. Black Soils- 29.69%
3. Red and Yellow Soils- 28.00%
4. Laterite Soils- 2.62%
5. Arid Soils- 6.13%
6. Saline Soils- 1.29%
7. Peaty and Marshy soils- 2.17%
8. Forest and Mountain Soils- 7.94%

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©Debasish B.
Alluvial Soil,
22.16
Black Soils,
29.69
Red & Yellow
Soils, 28
Laterite Soils,
2.62
Arid
Soils,
6.13
Saline Soils, 1.29
Peaty & Marshy
Soils, [VALUE]
Forest &
Mountain
Soils,
[VALUE]
Figure 1: Percentage wise distribution of Soil types of India
Figure 2: Geographical distribution of Soil types of India

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1. Alluvial Soil:
 Formed by deposition of sediments by Indus, Ganges and Brahmaputra
rivers. In coastal regions some alluvial deposits are formed due to wave
action.
 Rich in Humus and very fertile.
 Soil is renewed every year.
 This is of 2 types:
i. Bhangar or Old alluvium:
 Clayey and sticky.
 Darker colour.
 Coarse in nature.
 Contains Kankar (lime nodules), Pebbles and Gravels.
 Found to lie on slightly elevated lands.
 Represents riverine alluvium of Himalayan rivers.
 The regions of alluvial soil are thickly populated and
intensively cultivated.
ii. Khadar or New alluvium:
 Sandy, pale brown composition.
 Found in lower areas.
 Flooded every year.
 Characteristics: They are immature and have weak profiles due to
their recent origin. Very fertile, fine grained both in new alluvium
(Khadar) and old alluvium. These soils are constantly replenished by
the recurrent floods.
 Physical Properties:
i. Transported soils.
ii. Coarser in upper section and finest in Deltas.
iii. Light to dark in colour.
 Chemical Properties:
i. Rich in Potash and Humous.
ii. Poor in Phosphorus and Nitrogen.
iii. Cation exchange capacity is low.
iv. pH varies from 7.0 to 8.0.
 Biological Properties:
i. Highly fertile.
ii. Good for all Kharif and Ravi Crops.
 Importance: The alluvial soils are fertile and are responsible for
making the Northern plains, granary of India. Agricultural activities
and crop productivity are attributed to these soils.
 Distribution: Punjab, Haryana, U.P, Bihar, W.B, Assam, Parts of
Orissa, delta regions of South India.
 Main Crops: Rice, Wheat, Sugarcane, Cotton, Jute.

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2. Black Soils:
 Known as Black cotton soil since ideal for cotton crop. It is also called
as Regur.
 It is formed in- situ. Because, these soils have been formed due to the
solidification of lava spread over large areas during volcanic activity in
the Deccan Plateau, thousands of years ago.
 Developed from Basaltic Rock under semi- arid conditions.
 Characteristics: Water retentive cracks develops when dry.
i. Colour of the soil ranges from deep black of grey.
ii. Clayey, deep.
iii. They swell and become sticky when wet and shrink when
dried.
iv. During dry season, these soils develop wide cracks.
v. Fine textured.
vi. High moisture retention capacity.
i. Cation exchange capacity is quite high (50- 75 meq per cent).
ii. Poor in nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, and organic matter.
iii. pH varies from 7.5 to 8.5.
iv. 10 per cent of alumina,
v. 9-10 per cent of iron oxide,
vi. 6-8 per cent of lime and magnesium carbonates,
vii. Potash is variable (less than 0.5 per cent) and
viii. Phosphates, nitrogen and humus are low.
ix. Contains soluble salts in small quantities.
i. Soil is very fertile in most of the places.
ii. Suited for dry farming as it does not require much moisture.
 Importance:
i. Water can remain stored in the soils for longer period and this
can continue to provide water to the roots of plants in dry
Period. That’s why these soils are used for cultivation of Cotton
even in those areas where irrigation is not available.
ii. The soil is not suitable for construction works due to its
swelling in humid season and shrinking in dry season.
 Distribution: Whole of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, S.E.
Maharashtra, and Chhattisgarh, parts of Orissa, Jharkhand and
Bundelkhand.
 Main Crops: Cotton, Sugarcane, Groundnut, Millets, Rice, Wheat,
Oilseeds.

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3. Red & Yellow Soil:
 Most of the red soils have come into existence due to weathering of
ancient crystalline and metamorphic rocks.
 Red soils are reddish in colour due to the presence of iron.
 Locally known as Red sandy soil and red alluvium.
 Characteristics: Not water retentive. When fertilizers are added, soil
become productive. On the uplands, the red soils are poor, gravelly,
and porous. But in the lower areas they are rich, deep dark and fertile.
i. The colour of these soils is generally red, often grading into
brown, chocolate, yellow, grey or even black. Are mostly light
to dark colour depending on new or old alluvium.
ii. More sandy and less clayey.
iii. These are transported type soils.
iv. Found to a depth of 500 meters.
v. Coarsest in the upper section of the valley, medium in the
middle and finest in the delta region.
i. Rich in iron, small amount of Humus.
ii. Poor in phosphorus, nitrogen and lime.
iii. Slightly acidic and do not retain moisture.
iv. Low cation exchange capacity.
v. Colloidal complex is base saturated.
vi. Slightly acidic to neutral in reaction.
vii. pH ranges from 6.0 to 7.5.
viii. Characteristic clay mineral is Kaolinite.
i. Less fertile.
ii. Deficient in organic matter.
 Importance: Suitable soil for growing Millets.
 Distribution: Karnataka (Shimoga, Chikmaglur and Hassan districts),
Andhra Pradesh (Rayalaseema), Telangana, eastern Tamil Nadu
(espesically Thiruvannamalai and Cuddalore district), Orissa,
Jharkhand (Chotanagpur), Uttar Pradesh (Bundelkhand), Madhya
Pradesh (Balaghat and Chhindwara), Rajasthan (Banswara, Bhilwara,
Bundi, Chittaurgarh, Kota and Ajmer districts), Meghalaya, Mizoram,
Manipur and Nagaland.
 Main Crops: Ragi, Groundnut, millet, Tobacco, Potato, Rice, Wheat,
Sugarcane.

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4. Laterite Soil:
 Formed under high temperature and rainfall with wet and dry spell.
 Silica is leached due to high rainfall.
 Remnants of iron and aluminium oxides left behind is known as
Laterite.
 Laterite soils are mostly the end products of weathering.
 Laterite soils are found in elevated areas which receive very high
rainfall. As a result, top soils get washed away.
 2 types:
i. Upland Laterites: are formed over hills and uplands.
ii. Lowland Laterites: Upland laterites are transported by streams
to lowland and forms lowland laterites.
 Characteristics: Agriculturally less important. Bricks are made for
house construction.
i. No retention of water.
ii. No horizon differentiation in Soil profile.
iii. coarse texture, soft and friable.
iv. Becomes hard when exposed to atmosphere.
i. Deficient in Lime, Potash and Aluminium.
ii. Rich in Iron.
iii. Moderately acidic in reaction.
iv. pH varies from 5.0 to 6.0.
v. Low in Cation exchange capacity.
vi. Based on their particles, this soil is further divided into 3
categories:
 Deep Red Laterite: They have excess of Iron oxide and
Potash but are short of Kaolin. The soils are not fertile.
 White Laterite: The colour of the soil is due to excess of
Kaolin. Soils lose fertility at a faster rate.
 Underground laterite: The upper parts are dissolved
especially in Iron which settles down below the upper
layer. This makes the soil fertile.
i. Poor in fertility constituents.
ii. The humus content in the laterite soil is less because the micro-
organisms and decomposers get destroyed in the high
temperature.
 Importance:
i. Soils are useful for making bricks because of presence of lot of
Iron in them. It’s form in which Aluminium is in excess is
called Bauxite and is used for extracting Aluminium.
ii. Soils become fertile in addition of Manures, fertilizers.
iii. Soil conservation measures needs to be taken up.
 Distribution: Parts of Assam, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra
Pradesh, Telangana, Madhya Pradesh, Kerala.
 Main Crops: Tea, Coffee, Cashew, Tapioca, Rubber and Coconut.

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5. Arid Soils:
 Developed in Arid and semi- arid Regions.
 Deposited mainly by Wind activities.
 Characteristics: It is sandy and saline soil and is abundant in arid
regions of western Rajasthan. These soils are poor and contain little
humus and organic. The desert soils consist of Aeolian sand (90 to 95
per cent) and clay (5 to 10 per cent).
i. Red to brown in colour.
ii. Mainly sandy.
iii. Porous and coarse.
iv. 90% sand & 5% clay.
v. Friable, sandy & low moist content.
i. Contains high percentages of soluble salts.
ii. Alkaline with varying degree of calcium carbonate.
iii. Calcium content increases downwards and the subsoil has ten
times more calcium.
iv. Poor in organic matter.
v. Rich in Nitrates & Phosphates.
vi. Poor in Nitrogen & Humus.
vii. High in pH: 7.6 to 8.4.
i. Low in organic matter.
ii. Low in Humus.
iii. Poor in Fertility.
 Importance:
i. The use of manures and provision of irrigation in such soils
result in good crop yield.
ii. Afforestation, Windbreak, Shelterbelt creation can help shifting
sand dunes.
 Distribution: Arid and Semi- arid regions of Rajasthan, Southern
Haryana, Punjab, Northern Gujarat.
 Main Crops: Drought resistant crops like millets, barley, cotton, maize
and pulses.

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6. Saline Soils:
 They have more salts, largely because of dry climate and poor
drainage.
 They occur in arid and semi-arid regions, and in waterlogged and
swampy areas.
 Characteristics: In Saline and Alkaline Soils, the top soil is
impregnated (soak or saturate with a substance) with saline and
alkaline efflorescences (become covered with salt particles).
Unproductive soil. In Punjab and Haryana gypsum is added to improve
the soil
i. These soils are liable to saline and alkaline efflorescence.
ii. Sandy to Loamy in texture.
iii. High in capillarity.
i. Contains sodium, magnesium and calcium salts and sulphurous
acid.
ii. pH: 7.8 to 8.2.
i. No humus deposition.
ii. Low in soil fertility due to accumulation of Salt in top layer of
soil.
 Importance: The accumulation of salts makes the soil infertile and
renders it unfit for agriculture.
 Distribution: Parts of Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, U.P &
Maharashtra.
 Crops: Barseem, Dhaincha and leguminous crop.

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7. Peaty and Marshy Soils:
 Occur in Humid region.
 Formed by accumulation of organic matter.
 Characteristics: Peaty soils are found in the areas of heavy rainfall
and high humidity, where there is a good growth of vegetation. Thus,
large quantity of dead organism.
i. Black in colour.
ii. Heavy soil.
 Chemical properties:
i. Soils contain considerable amount of soluble salts.
ii. Highly acidic.
iii. pH: 5.8 to 6.0.
i. Contains 40- 50% of Organic Matter.
ii. Very fertile.
 Importance: Due to high amount of organic matter, the soil is Very
fertile and lifeline of coastal and marshy areas.
 Distribution:
i. Peaty soils are found in Kottayam and Alappuzha districts of
Kerala, where it is called Kari.
ii. Marshy soils are found in northern Bihar, coastal parts of
Orissa, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and parts of Uttar
Pradesh.
 Crop: Rice, Tapioca, Cashew etc.

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8. Forest and Mountain Soils:
 Mainly found on the hill slopes covered by forests.
 The formation of these soils is mainly governed by the characteristic
deposition of organic matter derived from forest growth.
 Characteristics:
i. Heterogeneous, character changes with parent rocks and
climate. Require good deal of fertilizers.
ii. In the Himalayan region, such soils are mainly found in valley
basins, depressions, and less steeply inclined slopes. Generally,
it is the north facing slopes which support soil cover; the
southern slopes being too precipitous and exposed to
denudation to be covered with soil.
i. Surface soils are dark brown loam to silty clay in texture.
ii. They are loamy and silty on valley sides and coarse-grained in
the upper slopes.
i. Deficient in Potash, phosphorous and lime.
ii. pH: 5 to 6.5.
iii. In the snow-bound areas of the Himalayas, they experience
denudation, and are acidic with low humus content.
iv. The soils found in the lower valleys are high humous content.
i. In Snow bound areas, fertility is less due to low humus content
ii. In lower valleys, high humus content increases fertility.
 Importance: The soils are not uniform everywhere, but there are
variations in distribution.
 Distribution: Assam, Kashmir, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala i.e. Himalayan region, Western Ghats and
Eastern Ghats.
 Crops:
i. Tea, coffee, spices and tropical fruits in peninsular forest
region.
ii. Wheat, maize, barley and temperate fruits are grown in the
Himalayan forest region.
Thus, different Environmental, Geological, Physiographic, Chemical, Biological
factors are responsible for the diversity of Indian soils with their unique importance in country’s
Ecosystem and Economic needs. Hence, appropriate Soil and Moisture conservation measures
needs to be taken up for the Growth of the nation.

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©Debasish B.
References:
1. Sahai V.N., 2011. Soil groups of World and Soil Survey. Fundamentals of Soil,
pp. 208-210
2. www.yourarticlelibrary.com
3. www.jagranjosh.com
4. www.pmfias.com
5. http://geographyias.blogspot.com/2010/12/indian-soils.html
6. https://www.gktoday.in/gk/types-of-soils-in-india/#Alluvial_Soils
7. www.slideshare.net
8. www.earthscienceindia.info

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