Soil S.st Holiday Home Work

2016-17

Soil - Definition

• Soil is the uppermost layered of the earth's crust which is loose, fragmented and fine. It is rich in both organic and inorganic materials and supports plant growth. It can also be defined as a mixture of small rock particles/debris and organic materials/ humus which develop on the earth surface and support growth of plants.

Soil - Importance

Soil is an important resource because :-

It is the medium of plant growth. It supports different types of

living organisms on earth. Much of our requirements of

Food, Clothing directly or indirectly derived from soil.

Of all the Agriculture sources, soil is our prime source .

Factors for soil formations Relief Parent or bed rockClimate Vegetation and other forms

of life. Time- it provides maturity of

soilTemperature

Classification of soil 1.Alluvial soil2.Black soil3.Red and yellow soil4.Laterite soil5.Arid soil6.Forest soil

Map - Soil types in India

Alluvial soil Properties:- Alluvial oil have come into existence due

to deposition of silt by rivers hence, are suitable for agriculture .

They are rich in mineral contents such as potash and phosphoric acid .

These soils do not develop cracks in the dry or hot season .

New alluvium is termed as Khadar and old alluvium is termed as Bhangar.

Alluvial SoilArea / Region :- Northern Plains . Deltas of eastern coastal plains .

Crops Grown :- Sugarcane, Paddy, Wheat, Cereals and

Pulses

Black SoilProperties :- These soils have been derived from the

weathered lava of Deccan Trap . These soils are clayed, deep and impermeable . These soils develop cracks in the hot dry

season . Rich in soil nutrients such as calcium carbonate

, magnesium, potash and lime .

Black Soils

Area / Region :- Deccan Trap Plateaus of Maharashtra ,

Saurashtra , Malwa and MPCrops Grown :- Cotton is the only crop which is

grown in black soil .

Red and yellow soil

Properties :- Red soils develops on crystalline igneous rocks . These soils develop a reddish colour due to

diffusion of iron in crystalline and metamorphic rock .

It looks yellow when it occurs in a hydrated form.

Seen mainly in low rainfall area.

Red and yellow soilArea / Region :- Areas of law rainfall in the eastern and the

southern part of Deccan plateau .It also found in parts of Orissa , Chhattisgarh

, southern parts of the middle Ganga plain and along the piedmont zone of the Western Ghats .

Crops Grown :-Wheat, cotton, pulses, tobacco, oilseeds, potato etc are cultivated.

Laterite soil

Properties :- Name from Latin word ‘Later’ which means

Brick.Become so soft when wet and so hard when

dried.Humus content is low.Needs high content of manure and

fertilizers .Red color due to iron oxide.

Laterite SoilArea / Region :-It found in the areas of high

temperature and high rainfall.Karnataka , Kerala , Tamil Nadu ,

Madhya Pradesh .

Crops Grown :- Tea , Coffee And Cashew nuts .

Arid SoilProperties :- They are sandy in texture and saline . Lack of moisture and Humus. High salt and

calcium content.Kankar or Impure Calcium carbonate content

is high which restricts the infiltration of water.Nitrogen is insufficient and Phosphate is

normal.Its color can be red to brown and sandy in

texture .

Arid Soil Area / Region :- Western Rajasthan

Crops Grown :- Wheat , Millets .

Forest SoilProperties :- Humus content is less and thus the soil is

acidic.Immature soil with low humus and acidic.Loamy and silty in valley sides . Area / Region :-Forest of Himalayas . lower parts of the valleys .

Soil erosionSoil erosion is one form of soil degradation.

Soil erosion is a naturally occurring process on all land. The agents of soil erosion are water and wind, each contributing a significant amount of soil loss each year. Soil erosion may be a slow process that continues relatively unnoticed, or it may occur at an alarming rate causing serious loss of topsoil. The loss of soil from farmland may be reflected in reduced crop production potential, lower surface water quality and damaged drainage networks.

Human and Global activities that increase soil erosion

Agricultural practices. Deforestation. Roads and urbanization. Climate change. Land degradation. Sedimentation of aquatic ecosystems. Airborne dust pollution.

Strip Cropping

Prevention from Soil ErosionThe most effective known method for erosion prevention

areTo increase vegetative cover on the land, which helps

prevent both wind and water erosion. Terracing is an extremely effective means of erosion

control.Windbreaks are rows of trees and shrubs that are

planted along the edges of agricultural fields, to shield the fields against winds.

Traditional planting methods, such as mixed-cropping and crop rotation  have also been shown to significantly reduce erosion rates.

Thank YouMade by :- Amit Choube Class :- 10th “B”Submitted to :- Mrs. Monika Rawal

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