Question

"Mohan recently bought a farm and wants to grow crops such as sugarcane, cotton, and jowar. He is unfamiliar with the local soil types and climatic conditions.” Help him identify the appropriate soil type and its properties for successful farming.

Answer 1

Black soil is ideal for growing cotton, jowar and sugarcane.

1. This type of soil is typical of the Deccan trap (Basalt) region spread over northwest Deccan plateau and is made up of lava flows.

2. They cover the plateaus of Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh and extend in the south east direction along the Godavari and the Krishna valleys.

3. The black soils are made up of extremely fine i.e. clayey material. They are well-known for their capacity to hold moisture.

4. In addition, they are rich in soil nutrients, such as calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash and lime

5. These soils are generally poor in phosphoric contents

6. They develop deep cracks during hot weather, which helps in the proper aeration of the soil.

7. These soils are sticky when wet and difficult to work on unless tilled immediately after the first shower or during the pre-monsoon period.