Tag: properties of soil

Alluvium is loose, unconsolidated soil or sediment that has been eroded, reshaped by water in some form, and redeposited in a non-marine setting. Alluvium is typically made up of a variety of materials, including fine particles of silt and clay and larger particles of sand and gravel. When this loose alluvial material is deposited or cemented into a lithological unit, or lithified, it is called an alluvial deposit.

 Factors which lead to soil degradation are deforestation, overgrazing, overuse of chemical feritilisers or pesticides, rain wash, landslides and floods.

Agricultural inputs are classified into two types.

1. Human inputs: Labour (workers), Machinery (tractors, combine harvesters, etc.), Buildings (barns, silos), seed to grow crops, animal feed, fertilisers and pesticides, calves, chicks, piglets, etc. (small animals brought to rear and later sell).

2. Natural inputs: Soil, precipitation, sun, alluvium, relief, drainage.

Alluvial soils are formed mainly due to silt deposited by Indo-Gangetic-Brahmaputra rivers. They are the largest soil group covering about 15 lakh sq km or about 6 percent of the total area. They support more than 40% of India’s population by providing the most productive agricultural lands.

Black soil is ideal for growing cotton and is also known as black cotton soil. These soils are made up of extremely fine i.e. clayey material. They are well-known for their capacity to hold moisture.  

Alluvial soils as a whole are very fertile. Mostly these soils contain an adequate proportion of potash, phosphoric acid and lime which are ideal for the growth of sugarcane, paddy, wheat and other cereal and pulse crops. Due to its high fertility, regions of alluvial soils are intensively cultivated and densely populated.