ICSE Class 10 Geography: Soils of India — Complete Notes 2026

Types of Soil in India Overview

• ICMR classification: alluvial, black (regur), red and yellow, laterite, arid/desert, forest/mountain soils
• Soil forms from weathering of parent rock over thousands of years; influenced by climate, topography, organisms
• India's soil diversity supports varied agriculture: wheat in alluvial, cotton in black, cashew in laterite

Alluvial Soil

• Most widespread: Indo-Gangetic plains, river deltas; deposited by rivers Ganga, Brahmaputra, Indus
• Khadar (new alluvium): light, porous, near river; Bhangar (old alluvium): higher ground, coarser
• Crops: wheat, rice, sugarcane, cotton; very fertile — supports 40% of India's population

Black Soil (Regur)

• Found in Deccan plateau: Maharashtra, MP, Gujarat, Karnataka; formed from weathering of basalt/lava rocks
• Characteristics: high moisture retention, swells when wet, cracks when dry (self-ploughing)
• Best for: cotton (hence 'black cotton soil'); also sorghum, groundnut, tobacco

Red and Yellow Soil

• Red colour from iron oxide; found in Telangana, AP, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Odisha
• Yellow soil: same as red but has more hydrated iron giving yellow tinge
• Less fertile than black/alluvial; needs fertilisers; suitable for millets, tobacco, groundnut

Laterite Soil

• Forms in high rainfall tropical areas due to intense leaching — silica and lime washed away; iron/aluminium oxides remain
• Hard when dry, soft when wet; found in Kerala, Karnataka, Goa, Assam, Meghalaya
• Poor in fertility; acidic; suited for cashew, tea, coffee, rubber after heavy fertilisation

Arid and Desert Soil

• Found in Rajasthan, parts of Gujarat and Haryana; sandy, low organic matter, high salt content
• Low water retention; crops need irrigation; bajra (pearl millet), barley, date palms
• Soil conservation: windbreaks, drip irrigation, agroforestry to prevent further desertification

Soil Conservation

• Contour ploughing: ploughing along contours slows water flow and reduces erosion
• Terrace farming: steps cut into slopes; common in Himalayas and Western Ghats
• Check dams, afforestation, crop rotation — all reduce soil erosion and maintain fertility