Soil And Crops - Overview
What is Soil?
Soil originates from the weathering process, comprising humus and rock particles. A vital natural resource, soil furnishes plants with essential nutrients for photosynthesis and serves as a habitat for various organisms. In agriculture, soil plays a crucial role. It's stratified into layers including:
- Humus
- Water
- Clay
- Sand
- Gravel
Also Read: Sources of Carbohydrates
Different parts of India that have different types of soils. Major types of soil are given below:
- Clayey Soil
- Loamy Soil
- Sandy Soil
External factors like temperature, wind, rainfall, humidity, and sunlight impact soil formation, altering its texture and quality. Soil composition and climate determine the crops suitable for cultivation. Refer to the table below for a detailed classification based on soil particle size.
Also Read: Omnivores
| Variants | Loamy Soil | Clayey Soil | Sandy soil |
| Properties | Consists of sand, clay, and silt | Contains fine clay particles | Contains little clay and more sand |
| Contains a lot of air | Drains water easily | Porous | |
| Rich in humus and fertile | Sticky | Water retaining capacity is low | |
| Retains water well | Very little air present | A lot of air present | |
| Contains clay in tiny amounts
Porous |
Rich in organic matter | Low in nutrient content | |
| Crops suitable for growing | Cereals – Wheat, gram, Sugarcane, Jute, Vegetables | Cereals – Wheat, gram, Paddy
Lentils, Pulses |
Cactus, melon, coconut |
Also Read: Human Life Cycle
Based on the colour and the other attributes, soil can be classified into the following given below:
- Red and yellow soil
- Black soil
- Saline and alkaline soils
- Marshy and peaty soils
- Laterite Soil
- Arid soil
- Alluvial soil
- Mountain and forest soil
- Desert soil
Also Read: Genetics
Types of Soils
Following are the types of Soil-
- Black Cotton Soil
- Laterite Soil
- Mountainous or Forest Soil
- Arid or Desert Soil
- Alluvial Soil
- Peaty and Marshy Soil
- Saline and Alkaline Soil
Also Read: Vegetative Propagation
What are Crops?
Crops are cultivated and harvested plants in agriculture, mainly influenced by climate and soil conditions.
Types of Crops
Following are the types of Crop given below-
- Kharif Crops
- Rabi Crops
- Zaid Crops
- Cash Crops
- Food Crops
Frequently Asked Questions
Ans. Loamy soil is best for growing crops such as wheat, sugarcane, cotton, jute, pulses, and oilseeds.
Ans. The 6 types of soil are-
- Sandy soil
- Clay Soil
- Silt Soil
- Peat Soil
- Chalk Soil
- Loam Soil
Ans. It is a plant or plant product that can be grown and harvested for profit or subsistence.
Ans. Rice, maize, pulses, tea, wheat, millets, and jute are other cash crops grown in India.
Ans. Kharif crop