Soil And Crops

Soil And Crops - Overview

Soil And Crops

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
     

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Frequently Asked Questions on Soil And Crops

Ans. Loamy soil is best for growing crops such as wheat, sugarcane, cotton, jute, pulses, and oilseeds.

Ans. The 6 types of soil are-

  1. Sandy soil
  2. Clay Soil
  3. Silt Soil
  4. Peat Soil
  5. Chalk Soil
  6. 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