Tag: study of rocks and soil formation

Alluvial soil which occupies Alwar, Bharatpur, Jaipur and Sawai Madhopur and the central part of Ganganagar district is deficient in Lime, Phosphoric acid, Humus. It varies from clayey to sandy loam in texture. The top soil contains 'kankar’ which lie either on sands or sandy clays. A wide variety of crops including wheat, rice, cotton and tobacco are grown in this soil.

Formation of soil is called pedogenesis. Soil formation is the process of soil formation from its parental material. In addition to the soil parent material, soil formation is also dependent upon other prevailing processes like climate, relief, etc.

Dark lava soils are also called as black soils or black cotton soils. These are present in the Bhilwara district and the major parts of Udaipur district, Chittaurgarh district, Sirohi district and the tract of Aravali Hills forms a part of inter-mountain plateau an consists of dark- lava soils. Major cash crops like cotton and sugarcane are grown in this black soil region. 

The Hadauti plateau is fertile with black soil due to the presence of Chambal River and its tributaries Kalisindh, Parvati and Chakan. The soil is alluvial. The Hadoti region consists of the districts of Bundi, Baran, Jhalawar and Kota.

In natural depressions like Pachpadra, Sambhar, Ranns of Jalore of Rajasthan saline sodic salts are found. color of these soils are dark grey to pale brown. Water table is sometime close to surface. Cultivation is not possible due to the impeded drainage and high degree of salinity. The only vegetation consists of some salt tolerant grasses and shrubs

Hill soils that are present at foot hills of Aravallis are also called as lithosols. Dungarpur, Banswara & parts of Udaipur, Chittorgarh districts have such soils. These soils are reddish in colour with granular/crumb structure & well drained. These soils have rich content of iron-oxide and devoid of calcium salts because calcium salts soluble in water and are easily washed away. Soils are suitable for maize, chillies, wheat, barley and rapeseed cultivation.

The crystalline granites produce non-laterite type of soils in drier areas. These include tropical sandy like desert soils and clayey soils which are gravelly in some places 

Ferruginous red soil which occupies central and southern part of Udaipur district and the entire Dungarpur district is poor in Nitrogen, Phosphorus, Humus. Red soil had been formed from ancient crystalline and metamorphic rocks. The characteristics of this soil are light texture, porous and friable structure. 

Saline sodic soils that are found in Pachpadra, Sambhar, Ranns of Jalore of Rajasthan are also called as Solonchaks. Colour of this soil is dark grey to pale brown. Water table is sometime close to surface. Cultivation is not possible due to the impeded drainage and high degree of salinity. The only vegetation consists of some salt tolerant grasses and shrubs.

Formation of soil is called pedogenesis. Soil formation is the process of soil formation from its parental material. In most of the cases colouration, mineral composition and texture of the soil is determined by its parental material. In addition to the soil parent material, soil formation is also dependent upon other prevailing processes like climate mainly temperature and rainfall.