Which type of soil is best suited for cotton cultivation?

The Correct Answer is Black soil

Key Points:

• Black soil is favorable for the cultivation of cotton.
• Because of this character of slow absorption and loss of moisture, the black soil retains the moisture for a very long time, which helps the crops, especially, the rain-fed ones, to sustain even during the dry season.
• Black Soil
  • These soils are also known as the ‘Regur Soil’ or the ‘Black Cotton Soil’.
  • The black soils are generally clayey, deep, and impermeable.
  • They swell and become sticky when wet and shrink when dried. 
  • So, during the dry season, this soil develops wide cracks. Thus, there occurs a kind of ‘self-plowing’.
  • The black soils are rich in lime, iron, magnesia, and alumina. They also contain potash.
  • They lack phosphorous, nitrogen, and organic matter.
  • The color of the soil ranges from deep black to grey.
  • Along with cotton, the soil is suitable for the cultivation of crops like groundnut, tobacco, chilies, and Jowar.

Additional Information:

• Cotton is a Kharif crop in the major parts of the country.
• Black soil covers most of the Deccan Plateau which includes parts of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Andhra Pradesh, and some parts of Tamil Nadu.
• Cotton quickly exhausts the fertility of the soil. Therefore, regular application of manures and fertilizers to the soils is very necessary. 
• Cotton is grown both under irrigated and rain-fed conditions.