Soils in Chhattisgarh-
Chhattisgarh state has been divided into three Agro-climatic zones-
S.no. |
Agro-climatic zones names |
Area(In Percentage) |
1. |
Chhattisgarh plains |
51 |
2. |
Bastar Plateau |
28 |
3. |
Northern Hills zone |
21 |
Variations in most soil properties and characteristics in the region are closely related to their potion on the landscape (Fig.1). Soils of Chhattisgarh are mainly developed by the action and interactions of relief, parent material and climate. Biotic features, mainly the natural vegetation follows the climatic patterns. According to 'Soil Taxonomy' (7th approximation) soil of Chhattisgarh fall under 5 orders and 9 dominating sub groups (Table 1). Entisols covers 19.5% cultivated area of the state, Inceptisols 14.8%, Alfisols 39%, Mollisols 0.3% and Vertisols 26.4%. Dominating 9 sub groups are namely,Typic Ustorthent (Covering an area of 1.6% of the total cultivated area), lithic Ustorthent (17.9%),typic Haplustept (9.5 %),Vertic Haplustept(5.3 %),Typic Rhodustalf (6.1 %),Typic Haplustalf (32.9 %), lithic Haplustoll (0.3 %),Chromic Haplusrert (19.3 %), Typic Haplustert (7.1 %). The different forms of soils of the state are described as below.
Fig.1 Landscape of Chhattisgarh
Vertisols |
ert |
L. verto, turn |
Invert |
Soils having swell- shrink type clays, having more than 30% clay up to .5 to 2 m depth, lithic / paralithic contact |
Inceptisols |
ept |
L. inceptum, beginning |
Inception |
Soils representing early stage in soil formation and no spodic, argillic, nitric, oxic, petrocalcic, plinthite, but have cambic-B horizon |
Alfisols |
alf |
Nonsense syllable |
Pedalfer |
Soils of the humid and sub humid regions, high base status (>35%) and having ochric epipedon |
Mollisols |
oll |
L. mollis, soft |
Mollify |
Dark colour, high base (>50%) soils of grassland vegetation with a mollic epipedon that is no hard and massive when dry |
Table:1 Soils order, Local name and recent area under deffirent Agro- climatic zone of Chhattisgarh
Soil Orders |
Local Name
|
Area (%) | ||
| Chhattisgarh Plain (51%) | Baster Plateau (28%) | Northen Hills (21%) | ||
Entisols |
Bhata | Tikara | Dadh | 19.5 |
Inceptisols |
Matasi | Matasi | Gader | 14.8 |
Alfisols |
Dorsa | Mal | Chawar | 39.0 |
Vertisols |
Kanhar | Gabhar | Gadar or Bahra | 26.4 |
Mollisols |
- | - | - | 0.3 |
Source:Soil Science Department, Indira Gandhi Agriculture University,Raipur
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