Different soil types in India: Understand the differences using an Easy-to-Learn Table

This post is a continuation of our previous article on Soils of India: Classification and Characteristics. The Indian council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) set up an All India Soil Survey Committee in 1953 which divided the Indian soils into eight major groups. For ease of understanding and comparative study, this post about the 8 soil types is prepared in tabular form, highlighting the key differences.

Different soil types in India: Understand the differences

1. Alluvial soils
2. Black (or Regur soil)
3. Red and Yellow soils
4. Laterite soils
5. Arid and desert soils
6. Saline and alkaline soils
7. Peaty and marshy soils
8. Forest and mountain soils

Types of Soils	States where found	Rich in:	Lacks in:	Crops grown
Alluvial	Mainly found in the plains of Gujarat,  Punjab, Haryana, UP, Bihar, Jharkhand etc.	Potash and Lime	Nitrogen and Phosphorous	Large variety of rabi and kharif crops such as wheat, rice, sugarcane, cotton, jute etc.
Black (Regur soil)	Deccan plateau- Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh,Tamil Nadu, Valleys of Krishna and Godavari.	Lime, Iron, Magnesia and Alumina, Potash	Phosphorous, Nitrogen and organic matter	Cotton, sugarcane, jowar, tobacco, wheat, rice etc.
Red	Eastern and southern part of the deccan plateau, Orissa, Chattisgarh and southern parts of the middle Ganga plain.	Iron and Potash	Nitrogen, Phosphorous and humus.	Wheat, rice, cotton, sugarcane and pulses
Laterite	Karnataka, Kerala, Tamilnadu, Madhya Pradesh, Assam and Orissa hills.	Iron oxide and potash	Organic matter, Nitrogen, Phosphate and Calcium	Cashewnuts, tea, coffee, rubber
Arid and Desert	Western Rajastan, north Gujarat and southern Punjab	Soluble salts, phosphate	Humus, Nitrogen	Only drought resistant and salt tolerant crops such as barley, rape, cotton, millets maize and pulses
Saline and Alkaline	Western Gujarat, deltas of eastern coast, Sunderban areas of West Bengal, Punjab and Haryana	Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium	Nitrogen and Calcium	Unfit for agriculture

Model questions based on soil types for UPSC Prelims

 Qn 1: Among the statements given below, identify the correct statement(s):

1. Laterite soil is also known as ‘self-ploughing’ soil.
2. Alluvial soils are rich in humus and nitrogen.
3. Forest soils are deficient in potash and lime.

Choices:

• a) 1 only
• b) 1 and 2 only
• c) 3 only
• d) 1, 2 and 3

Right Answer c) 3 only

Explanation: The Black soil is known as self-ploughing soil. Alluvial soil lacks nitrogen.

Article Contributed by: Anushka H