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Soil is described as the material’s thin layer that covers the surface of the earth, which is developed from rock weathering. India is a rich culture where “different types of soils” are highly important for human nutrition, water filtration and healthy growing of the plant. Healthy soil aids the landscape that is highly essential and resilient to the effect of droughts, fires or floods. “Types of soil in India” assist in regulating the climate of the Earth and conserves more carbon as compared to all of the forests combined in the world.
Types of Soil: Overview
Recognising the “types of soil” is important which helps in supporting the healthy growth of plant life. Soil may be classified into peat, chalk, clay, and loam and silt “types of soil depending on the dominating particle size within a soil. The classification of the “Types of soil” is demonstrated below:
| Types | Illustration |
|---|---|
| Sandy soil | Sandy soil is mentioned to be warm, dry and light which has the tendency to be low and acidic in nutrients. |
| Clay soil | The soil type takes advantage of the high nutrients. Clay soil is created of around 25 percent of clay because clay holds the highest water within this type of soil. |
| Silt soil | It is considered a moisture and light retentive “type of soil” with a rating of high fertility. It is because the silt soil consists of medium-sized particles, as they hold good moisture and they are well drained. |
| Peat soil | It retains the largest moisture amount and, it is demonstrated high in organic matter. It is captured in the garden and often is imported to give the best planting through optimum soil base. |
| Loam soil | Loam soil is mentioned as a mixture of clay, silt and sand that are amalgamated to ignore the negative impact of every type. The soil gets “sandy” or “clay loam” based on the predominant composition. |
Types of Soil in India: Overview
- “Alluvial soil” is regarded as the broadest in the river and northern valleys, which covers almost 40 per cent of the complete land area of India. Wheat, maize, pulses and sugarcane are mainly cultivated in alluvial soil. This kind of soil is found in entire section of Northern plain including Bihar, Assam, Delhi.
- “Red and yellow soil” covers almost 18.5 per cent of India’s land area which is also known as an omnibus group. Wheat, tobacco, oilseeds and millets are cultivated in this “type of soil in India”. “Red and yellow soil” is found in Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Telangana.
- “Black or Regur soil” covers mostly the Deccan plateau and has 15 percent of the total land area. Citrus fruit, castor, cotton, millets are mostly cultivated in this soil type. “Black or Regur soil” is available in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Karnataka.
- “Desert soil” is also termed arid soil, which accounts for more than 4.2 per cent of India’s land whose colour ranges from red to brown. It is mainly “sandy to gravelly” in texture. “Desert soil” is mostly available at Haryana, Rajasthan and Punjab of India.
- “Mountain soil” is demonstrated as the soil type that is found in the region of a forest where the rainfall is immensely sufficient. The texture of mountain soil depends on the environment, which is also known as forest soil. Mountain soils are generally found in Himachal, Kashmir and Uttaranchal.
Different Types of Soil and Its Difference
| Types of soil | Texture | Features | Crops and vegetation growth | Soil availibity |
| Sandy soil | Gritty | It drains easily, heats up rapidly, and has the tendency to hold little nutrients. It benefits from mulching to assist in retaining moisture. | Bulbs and shrubs like tree mallow, Tulips, Hibiscus. Vegetable root crops such as potatoes, parsnips and carrots | Western Rajasthan |
| Clay soil | Lumpy and sticky | It is rich in nutrients if the soil drainage is enhanced then the plant grows and develops. | Perennials and shrubs like Aster, Bergamot and Helen’s flower. | Malwa, Chhattisgarh |
| Loamy soil | Fine textured and slight damp | This type of soil is ideal for shrubs, lawns and gardening. It has an adequate drainage system and is full of nutrients. | Perennials, Shrubs and Bamboos. Berry crops and vegetable crops. | West Bengal, Odisha and Assam |
Conclusion
Soil is a natural resource that is classified into distinct “types of soil”, each with different features that give growing limitations and benefits. The minerals of soil are classified into main three classes Sand, clay and silt. The soil is created up essentially of organic and mineral particles where all “types of soil” interact slowly yet constantly. In India, “types of soil” reflect different features based on the climate factor which also assists in supplying the important nutrients, root support, oxygen and water.
