Soil (मिट्टी / मृदा)

 Soil is one of the important natural resources. It is the uppermost layer of the earth. It forms the basis for all agricultural activities. Plants cannot grow without soil. All living beings directly or indirectly depend on soil. The food we eat is the blessing of soil 

India is an agricultural country. About  70 percent of its population is engaged in occupations related to agriculture. Hence soil is of great importance to us. 

The formation of the soil is not a days job. It tooks years to give soil its presence. It formed by the breaking up of rocks, winds, rains and running water. The decayed organic matter formed by the animal waste and dead plants mix up with the soil to make it fertile. 

Our country is blessed with many different kinds of soil. 

The soil is not of the same type everywhere. It quality differs from place to place and regions to regions. Some soils are very fertile whereas others are not so 

The various types of soils found in India are as follows :-

1.Alluvial soil  (जलोढ़ मिट्टी) 

Himalayan rivers bring with them large quantities of alluvium which gets deposited on the river banks. This soil is very fertile. It is commonly found in the Northern plains. In Deccan plateau alluvial soil is found in the deltas formed by the rivers.This alluvial soil is also very fertile. A large number of important crops such as rice, wheat,sugarcane ,pulses, jute and vegetables grow in this kind of soil. 

2.Black soil (काली मिट्टी) :-

The black soil is mostly found in the north -western parts of Deccan plateau that is the part of Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. This soil is formed from rocks made of lava. It is black in colour. This soil is rich in minerals like lime, magnesia, iron, phosphorus and nitrogen. This soil is good for growing sugarcane and cotton. 

3.Red soil  (लाल मिट्टी) :-

This soil is red in colour because of the presence of iron in it. It is not as good as alluvial or black soil for the growth of crops. This soil covers almost the whole of Tamil Nadu, karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, south -eastern Maharashtra, eastern parts of Madhya Pradesh and parts of odisha. 

With the application of fertilizers, it's fertility can be increased to some extent. Farmers grow millets, groundnut and pulses in this soil. In the southern plateau region tea, coffee, rubber etc are grown in this soil. 

4.Laterite soil (लैटेराइट मिट्टी) :-

This soil is made up of clay and gravel. It is rich in iron oxide but lacks nitrogen, potash etc. It commonly found in karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and hilly areas of odisha and Assam. Various crops like rubber, tobacco, tea, cashewnut and groundnut are grown in this soil. 

5.Mountain soil  (पहाड़ की मिट्टी) :-

This soil is very coarse and is present in the mountains. It is a mixture of gravel and pieces of stones. This soil is suitable for orchards where fruit trees grow. 

6.Desert soil  (रेगिस्तान की मिट्टी) :-

Desert soil is dry and very less fertile. But wherever water has been made available through some means, crops such as gram, wheat ,cotton, dates, millets and fruit can be grown easily. The desert soil is mainly found in Rajasthan and south Punjab. It is also found in some parts of Haryana. This soil lacks organic matter. 

Manures and fertilizers are added to the soil to make it more fertile. But somewhere the soil is not looked after properly after getting crops. 

Soil Erosion (मिट्टी का कटाव) :-

Sometimes, the natural forces like sun, wind, running water and ice coverage damage the upper layer of the soil which is rich in nutrients. This is called soil erosion. 

Cutting down of trees is also one of the factors responsible for soil erosion. Over grazing of grasslands is also a contributory factor. 

soil conversation (मिट्टी का संरक्षण) :-

The soil erosion must be controlled so as to converse soil. For this we should take the following steps :

1.The roots of the trees hold the soil and fight against erosion .so, we should not uproot trees. 

2.We should plant new trees. 

3.Overgrazing in a piece of land should be controlled. 

4.Dams should be built as they control the speed of running water and thus, prevent soil erosion. 

5.Terrace farming in hilly regions can help to prevent soil erosion. 

My personal Dictionary ☺☺👇👇

👉Terrace :-

A flat piece of land that is raised like a platform is called terrace. 

👉Manure :-

The waste matter from animals that is spread over the soil to increase it's fertility. 

👉Soil erosion :-

The process of wearing and carrying away of the soil is called soil erosion. 

👉Orchard :-

A place where fruits trees grow.

👉Humus :-

The fertility of land depends on its uppermost layer called humus 

Thank you 🌹🌹🌹