CHAPTER9 - SOIL – SUMMARY
Syllabus
Types of Soil – Alluvial, Black, Red & Laterite – distribution, composition, characteristics such as colour, texture,
minerals and crops associated.
Soil Erosion: Causes, prevention and conservation.
1. Definition of Soil: Soil is the uppermost layer of the earth’s crust capable of supporting
life.
It is the thin layer of loose mixture of small rock particles and rotting organic matter that
covers much of the world’s land surface.
2. Types of Soil:
Type of Soil Areas where Composition Crops
Formation of they are of soil Characteristics grown
soil found of soil
1. Alluvial Formed by Valleys and Rich in: 1. Loamy Food
Soil the deltas of all Potash & 2. light and crops: Rice
(transported deposition of rivers Lime porous & Wheat
soil) sediments Punjab, Poor In:
brought Haryana, Nitrogen & Cash
down by the Uttar Humus crops:
rivers. Pradesh, Jute,
Bihar, West Oilseeds,
Bengal
2. Black soil Weathering Deccan Rich in: Lime, 1. Black, wheat,
- Insitu of Volcanic Plateau iron, Potash, 2. Clayey Jowar,
(Residual Rock from Magnesium 3. Fine gram,
) the Deccan Maharashtra Carbonate, textured millets,
- Also Trap Region , Gujarat & Alumina, & , Cotton,
known as parts of Calcium 4. Fertile, Oilseeds,
Regur or Madhya Carbonates
Cotton Pradesh, Poor In:
Soil Karnataka, Phosphorous
Tamil Nadu, , organic
Andhra matter &
Pradesh Nitrogen
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CHAPTER9 - SOIL – SUMMARY
3. Red Soil Prolonged South east Rich in: Iron 1. Friable Rice, Ragi,
- Insitu weathering Maharashtra 2. Red in Cotton,
(Residual of ancient , Poor In: colour Sugarcane
) crystalline Chhattisgarh, Potassium, 3. Rich in , tobacco
and parts of Phosphorous Iron
(2nd largest soil metamorphi Orissa, , Organic
group in India) c rocks by Jharkhand. matter and
rainfall. Tamil Nadu, Nitrogen
Andhra
Pradesh,
Telangana &
Karnataka
4. Laterite They are Summits of Rich in: Iron Ragi, Rice
Soil formed by Western 1. Red due Tea,
- Insitu leaching due Ghats, Poor In: to iron Coffee,
(Residual to tropical Eastern Lime, oxide Rubber,
) rains. Ghats & magnesium 2. High
- Garo, Khasi & Nitrogen Acidity
and Jaintia 3. Rich in
Hills Iron
in Andhra
Pradesh,
Telangana,
Karnataka,
3. Soil Erosion
a) Definition of Soil Erosion: The removal of the top soil cover by water, wind and human
activities is called Soil erosion.
b) Main agents of soil erosion: The main agents of soil erosion are:
i) Running Water ii) Wind iii) man
c) Causes of soil erosion: The causes of soil erosion are as follows:
i) Increasing population: Due to rapid increase in population more forests are being
destroyed so that more land can be brought under cultivation, construction of houses,
roads, railways, etc.
ii) Deforestation: Cutting of trees exposes the soil to wind and water, which leads to soil
erosion.
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CHAPTER9 - SOIL – SUMMARY
iii) Nature of rainfall: Sudden heavy rainfall after a long period of dry spell causes sheet
erosion.
iv) Over grazing by animals: Cattles graze freely on open lands and make them bare of
vegetation
v) Bad farming practices: like Jhumming or shifting method of cultivation, cultivation on
steep slopes etc. have caused soil erosion.
d) The various types of soil erosion are as follows:
1. Sheet erosion: It is the slow removal of a thin layer of soil when vegetation is destroyed.
Prevention: By planting trees, constructing bunds & afforestation.
2. Rill erosion: When sheet erosion continues for long, the silt laden run-off forms finger-
shaped rills or grooves over a large area.
Preventive methods: Planting trees.
3. Gully erosion: It is caused as result of running water. During heavy downpour, deep
gullies are made on bare soils on account of water run-off.
Preventive methods: Plugging gullies, Contour ploughing, Terrace farming.
4. Leaching: Leaching is the process in which the lighter and soluble nutrients get
percolated down below the soil due to heavy rainfall, thus leaving the top soil infertile.
5. Sea or Shore erosion: The waves dash against the sea-coast and break hanging cliff
rocks. The broken material is then removed by the retreating sea-waves.
6. Stream Bank erosion: Streams and rivers change their course by cutting one bank and
depositing the silt loads on the others.
e) Areas affected by soil erosion
1. Rajasthan comes on top of the soil eroded regions, followed by Madhya Pradesh,
Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh & Karnataka.
4. Soil Conservation:
a) Definition of soil conservation: Soil conservation means prevention of soil loss from
erosion or prevention of reduced fertility of soil caused by over usage, acidification,
salinization or other types of soil contamination.
b) Need for soil conservation:
i) Loss of fertile top soil leads to loss of soil fertility and thus reduction in agricultural
production.
ii) Lowering of underground water table and decreasing soil-moisture.
c) Soil conservation programmes undertaken by (1) the farmers, (2) the Government:
1. Soil Conservation Programmes undertaken by Farmers:
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CHAPTER9 - SOIL – SUMMARY
- Terrace Farming - terraces act as bunds and prevent the soil from being washed
away by running water.
- strip cropping - Crops are grown in alternate strips of land.
- contour ploughing - Ploughing along contours. Contours act as bunds.
- growing crops in rotation.
- Preventing overgrazing by cattle or sheep
2. Soil Conservation Programme undertaken by the Government:
[A] Integrated Watershed Management in the catchment of flood prone rivers.
[B]A Scheme for Reclamation and Redevelopment of ravine areas.
[C] The scheme for control of shifting cultivation
[D] National Project on Development and Use of Bio-fertilizers and National Project
on Quality Control:
[E] In urban areas, rain water harvesting.
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