Explanation
Agricultural inputs are classified into two types.
1. Human inputs: Labour (workers), Machinery (tractors, combine harvesters, etc.), Buildings (barns, silos), seed to grow crops, animal feed, fertilisers and pesticides, calves, chicks, piglets, etc. (small animals brought to rear and later sell).
2. Natural inputs: Soil, precipitation, sun, alluvium, relief, drainage.
There have been Varying trends in the extent of current fallow but it has recorded an increase from 10.68 million hectares in 1950-51 to 14.79 million hectares in 1999-2000. There had been a sharp decline in fallow lands other than current fallows from 17.4 million hectare in 1950-51 to 11.18 million hectare in 1960 61.
This is the most widely spread and important soil. In fact, the entire northern plains are made of alluvial soil. These soils also extend in Rajasthan and Gujarat through a narrow corridor. Alluvial soil is also found in the eastern coastal plains particularly in the deltas of the Mahanadi, the Godavari, the Krishna and the Kaveri rivers.
Most desert soils are called Aridisols (dry soil). These are porous sandy soils with low nitrogenous matter and humus.
Most desert soils are called Aridisols (dry soil). These are porous sandy soils with low nitrogenous matter and humus. These are saline in nature too.
Deserts cover 20 to 33% of the Earth’s land surface, and can be found in the tropics, at the poles, and in between. Desert soils are formed where there is scanty rainfall.
Great civilizations are flourished in the areas having alluvial soil and water bodies. Alluvial soils and irrigation facilities produce abundant crop yield.
Alluvium is a loose soil or sediments which are formed by erosion by rainwater. It is typically made of small particles of silt and clay and larger particles of sand and gravel.
Wind erosion refers to the movement and deposition of soil particles by wind. It occurs when soil devoid of vegetation is exposed to high velocity of wind. Rajasthan is the region facing the highest levels of soil erosion due to the dry winds present in the region.
Mountain soils are found in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh, and West Bengal in the Himalayan mountain regions. They are rich in humus and in the drier areas of deciduous forest belt, brown soils are found. They are very good for orchard crops.
These brown forest soils are called Podzol of deciduous forests.
The laterite soil develops in areas with high temperature and heavy rain. This is the result of intense leaching due to heavy rain. Humus content of the soil is low because most of the micro organisms, particularly the decomposers, like bacteria, get destroyed due to high temperature.
Soils form from the interplay of five main factors namely Parent material, Time, Climate, Relief and Organisms.
A- 3, B- 4, C- 1, D- 2
Answer: A- 3; B- 4; C- 1; D- 2
Land use: Land is used for different purposes such as agriculture, forestry, mining, building houses, roads and setting up of industries. This is known as land use.
Humus: Humus is defined as black organic matter formed in soil due to the decay of dead plant and animal matter.
Rock dams: These are the artificial embankments created by constructing mould of soil, clay, sand and rock. Main function is to prevent floods and soil erosion
Arable land: It is the land suitable for agriculture.
Over irrigation is main cause of land degradation in Punjab due to waterlogging leading to increase in salinity and alkalinity in the soil. Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh are the states facing issue of land degradation.
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