- Introduction
India has diverse soil types, many of which are affected by various degradation processes, making them unsuitable for cultivation without proper reclamation. Wastelands and problem soils, including saline, sodic, acidic, and eroded soils, significantly impact agricultural productivity.
- Categories of Problem Soils in India
2.1 Salt-Affected Soils
According to the Central Soil Salinity Research Institute (CSSRI, Karnal), salt-affected soils cover about 10 million hectares (Mha) in India. These soils are categorized into sodic and saline soils:
- Sodic Soils: Found in the Indo-Gangetic Plain (Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Haryana, and Punjab).
- Saline Soils: Predominantly found in coastal regions and arid/semi-arid zones (Gujarat, Rajasthan, and coastal Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha).
State | Water Eroded (Lakh ha) | Wind Eroded (Lakh ha) | Waterlogged (Lakh ha) | Saline & Alkali (Lakh ha) | Degraded Forest Soil (Lakh ha) | Total Degraded Land (Lakh ha) |
Andhra Pradesh | 74.42 | — | 3.39 | 2.40 | 37.34 | 117.55 |
Bihar | 38.92 | — | 1.17 | 0.04 | 15.62 | 55.75 |
Gujarat | 52.35 | 7.04 | 4.84 | 12.14 | 6.83 | 83.20 |
Haryana | 2.76 | 15.99 | 6.20 | 5.26 | 0.74 | 30.95 |
Maharashtra | 110.26 | — | 1.11 | 5.34 | 28.41 | 145.12 |
Rajasthan | 66.59 | 106.23 | 3.48 | 7.28 | 19.33 | 202.91 |
Uttar Pradesh | 53.40 | — | 8.10 | 12.95 | 14.26 | 88.71 |
West Bengal | 13.27 | — | 18.50 | 8.50 | 3.59 | 43.86 |
Total | 736.00 | 129.26 | 59.86 | 71.65 | 358.89 | 1355.57 |
(Source: Verma et al., 2015 – Management of Degraded Lands and Soil Health)
2.2 Acidic Soils
- Out of 157 Mha of cultivable land, about 49 Mha are acidic.
- 26 Mha have pH <5.6 (highly acidic).
- 23 Mha have pH between 5.6-6.5 (moderately acidic).
- Common in Assam, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Kerala, and Meghalaya.
2.3 Degraded and Wasteland Soils in Maharashtra
- Soil Orders:
- Entisols (37%), Inceptisols (31%), Vertisols (26%), Alfisols (6%), Mollisols (<1%).
- Major soil groups: Rhodustalfs, Haplustalfs, Haplustolls, Ustifluvents, Halaquepts, and Chromusterts.
- Highly Affected Districts (Water Erosion):
- Nashik (836,000 ha)
- Ahmednagar (806,000 ha)
- Pune (788,000 ha)
- Solapur (683,000 ha)
- Sangli (616,000 ha)
- Sodic Soils Distribution:
- Ahmednagar (265,000 ha), Nashik (40,000 ha), Aurangabad (31,000 ha), Pune (26,000 ha), Solapur (20,000 ha).
- Classification of Problematic Soils
Problem soils in India are classified based on physical and chemical characteristics:
3.1 Physical Characteristics
- Highly eroded soils
- Steeply sloping lands
- Ravine lands
- Highly permeable coarse-textured soils
- Slowly permeable heavy-textured soils
- Crusting soils
- Red chalka soils
- Peat and submerged soils
3.2 Chemical Characteristics
- Acidic Soils (pH <5.6)
- Saline Soils (High salt concentration, EC >4 dS/m)
- Saline-Alkali Soils (High pH and EC)
- Alkali (Sodic) Soils (pH >8.5, ESP >15%)
- Calcareous Soils (High calcium carbonate content)
