Agriculture And Soil In Indian Geography — Part 1 MCQs with Explanations

Weathering is a natural process of disintegration of rocks. This leads to the formation of soil rather than erosion.

Brown soil is not a tropical type of soil. Tropical soil are formed in areas with high annual temperature and rainfall. The intense weathering causes these soils to be nutrient poor and low in organic matter.

The another name of acid or alkaline soil is Kallar. The word alkali is of Arabic origin meaning ash-like and is used to designate hard and intractable soils generally known by the names rakkar, kallar, bara and bari.

Extensive subsistence agriculture is farming in the thinly populated areas. An agricultural technique where a vast expanse of land is cultivated to yield minimal output of crops and animals for the primary consumption of the grower's family. Subsistence farmers grow any crops that are native to the land.

Fertility of soil can be improved by adding living earthworms. Worms help to increase the amount of air and water that gets into the soil. They break down organic matter, like leaves and grass into things that plants can use. When they eat, they leave behind castings that are a very valuable type of fertilizer. Earthworms are like free farm help.

Podzol soils are also called lessive soils .These are mountain soils characterized by moderate leaching. These are ash grey in color.

The principal cause of soil damage in Punjab and Haryana is salinity and water logging. The area are totally damaged due to salinization of sub soil water and did not allow any plant to grow.

The following that are true in respect of alluvial soil are that it is generally confined to river basins, it has been deposited by rivers and it is the most fertile soil.

Under Wet tropical Climate the laterite soils develop. The laterite soil is formed under conditions of high temperature and heavy rainfall with alternate wet and dry periods, which leads to leaching of soil, leaving only oxides of iron and aluminum.

Lateritic soil types of India is rendered infertile by the presence of excess iron. Laterite soils are those soils which are found in the areas which receive high rainfall and have very high temperature. This results in the less humus content in the soil. Also , they have excess amount of iron in them . Hence , they are not fertile soil and are not suitable for cultivation.

It has been observed that in Tiruchirapalli which is located along the Kaveri river the salinity levels are increasing the soil making it unfit for agriculture.

In India the problem of utilisation of agricultural wastes is in conversion of cellulose into sugar.

Soil of northem plains is alluvial soil which is the result of deposition of sediments by the process of aggradation. These soil cover almost 40% of the area of India.

Soil of western Rajasthan have a high content of Calcium. These soils have rich content of iron- oxide and devoid of calcium salts because calcium salts soluble in water and are easily washed away.

Black cotton soil of the Deccan region of India is associated with volcanic rocks. Deccan relates more specifically to that area of rich volcanic soils and lava-covered plateaus in the northern part of the peninsula between the Narmada and Krishna rivers.

The following that are not the characteristics of red soils are they have high water retention capacity and they have high nitrogen content.

Laterite Soils is formed under typical monsoonal conditions. The alternation of wet and dry seasons leads to the leaching away of the siliceous matter of the rocks and the formation of laterite soils. The soils on the higher areas are generally more acidic than on the low lying areas.

Regur soil have a marked capacity to retain water. Black soil is also called Regur soil. It is black in color and ideal for growing cotton. This type of soil is typical of the Deccan trap (Basalt) region spread over North-West Deccan plateau and is made up of lava flows.

The following statements that are correct regarding red soils of India are: The colour of the soil is-red due to ferric oxide content and they are porous and have friable structure.

Lime can be used to correct acidic soil. It increases the pH of acidic soil (the lower the pH the more acidic the soil); in other words, soil acidity is reduced and alkalinity increased. it provides a source of calcium and magnesium for plants. it permits improved water penetration for acidic soils.

Laterite soil is poor in lime content that's why it is found acidic in high hilly areas. Due to the presence of iron oxides the colour of laterite soil is basically red. This soil is poor in lime content and hence it is acidic. Laterite soils are found on the high level plateau and hilly areas that receive high rainfall and are specifically well developed on the Eastern Ghats in Orissa.

The statements that are correct about the soils of India are High temperature during most of the year retards formation of humus, Titanium salts in basalt impart black, colour to the soils of the Indian plateau and Red soils are confined to the peripheral areas of the Indian plateau.

Soil erosion in deserts is primarily because of wind and is also known as aeolian erosion. If trees are planted in the way then high speed wind can prevent the damage to soil.

Madhya Pradesh has very little alluvial soil.

The chief characteristic of the soil of the Indo-Gangetic plain is that it is derived from Himalayan rocks. The soil is rich in silt, making the plain one of the most intensely farmed areas of the world.

Climate is the most important factor in soil formation. Warmer temperatures and an abundance of water have a tendency to speed up the formation of soil, in some cases rather dramatically. Whereas cooler temperatures and less precipitation slow down soil formation.

Edaphic factors are those relating to or determined by conditions of soil. These abiotic factors are related to physical or chemical conditions of soil of a particular area.

The largest and the most important soil group of India contributing to the country's major agricultural production is Alluvial. Alluvial soils are by far the largest and the most important soil group of India. Covering about 15 lakh sq km or about 45.6 per cent of the total land area of the country, these soils contribute the largest share of our agricultural wealth and support the bulk of India's population.

The Red soils develop a reddish colour due to a wide diffusion of iron in ancient crystalline and metamorphic rocks. Red soil is formed by weathering of old crystalline igneous and metamorphic rocks. It is rich in iron and hence appears red in colour. Red soil indicates the presence of oxidized ferric oxides. Ordinarily the surface soils are red while the horizon below gets yellowish colour.

Laterite soil is found in areas of high temperature, and high rainfall. These soils have mainly developed in the higher areas of peninsular plateau. Laterite soils are found mainly in the states of Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh and the hilly regions of Orissa and Assam.

Fedology (pedon+logos) which means scientific study of soil. Pedology (derived from a Greek word "pedon" which means oil" and "logos' means "study").

Pedocal is made up of two words pedo+cal here 'pedo' means soil and 'cal' means calcium i.e. soils which are rich in calcium are termed as pedocals.

The soil formed by the deposition of silt brought by rivers is Alluvial soil. Alluvial soil is the main and important soil that spreads across the river plains. They are formed by deposition of materials or sediments (alluvium) brought in down by rivers that consist of silt, sand, clay, etc.

Saline and Alkaline soils types of soils is found throughout India in all climatic zones. Most coastal saline soils are found in the deltaic regions of major rivers in India falling either into Bay of Bengal or the Arabian Sea. Alkaline Soils are also known as Usara soils. Various local names for saline soils are Reh, Kallar, and Chopan, Rakar, Thur, Karl etc.

Clayey soil retains maximum water. Clay soil has small, fine particles, which is why it retains the most amount of water.

Here's the order of these soils in descending order of area in India: Alluvial soils (IV) - These are the most extensive soils in India, found in the Indo-Gangetic plains and along river banks. They are highly fertile. Black soils (II) - Also known as Regur soils, they are found in the Deccan Plateau region. They are suitable for cotton and some other crops. Red soils (I) - These are found in many parts of India, especially in peninsular India. They are less fertile than alluvial soils. Laterite soils (III) - These are mainly found in the western coastal areas, northeastern states, and parts of southern India. They are less fertile and may have a high iron content. So, the correct order in descending area is Option B: IV, II, I, III.

The soil which is a mixture of sand, clay and silt is known as Loamy soil. Loamy soil is a mixture of sand, clay and another type of soil particle known as silt.

Clay soil and Sandy soil are component of Loamy soil. Loamy soil is a mixture of sand, clay and another type of soil particle known as silt.

The soils of the plains have not been derived only from the rocks existing locally. Plains are associated with high productivity due to the generally reliable summer precipitation, a long growing season, and deep, fertile soils. Productivity is greatest in the eastern region (tallgrass prairie), followed by mixed grass, then shortgrass prairie.

Tea, coffee, pepper, cardamom and coconut are crops of plantation agriculture.