The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has classified the soils in India into eight types:

 The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has classified the soils in India into eight types: 

 

Alluvial soil: Makes up 43% of India's soil 

 

Black soil: Also known as regur soil, this soil is found in hot, arid regions of the peninsula 

 

Red soil: Makes up 18.5% of India's soil 

 

Laterite soil: A type of soil in India 

 

Arid or desert soil: A type of soil in India 

 

Saline soil: A type of soil in India 

 

Peaty or swampy soil: A type of soil in India 

 

Forest soil: A type of soil in India 

 

Black Soil: 10 Essential Tips for Maintaining Black Soil

These soils are formed by various geographical factors and have different chemical properties. 

 

Here are some more details about some of these types of soil: 

 

Black soil

This soil is formed from volcanic rocks that weathered during the Cretaceous period. It is found in the Deccan Plateau, particularly in the Rajmahal trap and the Deccan. Black soil is very fertile and holds moisture well. However, it becomes very sticky during the rainy season and shrinks in the summer. 

 

Red and yellow soils

These soils are rich in iron and potash, but they usually lack nitrogen, phosphorus, and humus. They are suitable for growing crops like wheat, rice, cotton, sugarcane, millets, pulses, and groundnuts. 

 

Alluvial soil

There are two types of alluvial soil: Khadar and Bhangar. Khadar is the new alluvium that is deposited by annual floods, while Bhangar is older alluvium that is deposited away from flood plains. Both Khadar and Bhangar contain calc

areous concretions (Kankars).