INDIAN GEOGRAPHY

Detailed explanation-1: -Cotton thrives in soil that has good drainage and can hold water (water is absorbed by the soil). The cotton plant suffers from excessive wetness and waterlogging. Black soil is appropriate for the growth of cotton because it has a high clay content and a good capacity to retain water.

Detailed explanation-2: -These soils are black in color and are also known as regur soils. Since black soil is ideal for growing cotton, it is also known as black cotton soil. It is believed that climatic conditions along with the parent rock material are the important factors for the formation of black soil.

Detailed explanation-3: -Wheat, Groundnut and cotton are few of the crops which require black soil for their growth. Cotton requires highly fertile black soil for maximum production.

Detailed explanation-4: -Cotton grows best in soil with a pH between 5.8 to 8.0. Yield decreases are usually not severe until the soil pH drops below 5.5 to 5.2 on sandy loam and silt loam soils respectively, or above 8.5 for western irrigated soils in the USA. When the soil pH falls beyond this range, soil amendments are recommended.

Detailed explanation-5: -Black cotton soils are characteristic of impeded drainage sites. These soils have very high clay content, and high levels (even nodules) of calcium carbonate. They are prone to expansion when wet and contraction when dry.