Question

Colour of black soil is due to
(a)Iron, Aluminium, Humus content
(b)Presence of zinc, sulfur, potassium content
(c)Litter content
(d)All of the above

Answer 1

Hint: It is made of chemicals and metals along with black organic matter which increases the moisture in the soil and increases soil fertility.

Complete answer:
Black soil is black or dark brown. It is due to the presence of organic matter and clay content along with chemicals and metals like iron and potassium in the soil which make it fertile. This soul is considered to be the best for agricultural purposes. Black soil is also called Regur soil and is important because of its relevance to food security and climate change. The crops grown on the black soils include wheat, jowar, linseed, Virginia tobacco, castor, sunflower, etc.

Additional information
-The black soil is the most fertile because of the presence of the minerals and high moisture content in the soil.
-Black soils are compact with good hydration but have little aeration
-A typical black soil is highly argillaceous and swells greatly after the accumulation of moisture.
-Clay is a type of soil which contains clay minerals, these minerals stored in their mineral structure.
-Clay can appear in various colors from white to dull grey or brown to deep orange-red depending upon the soil contents.
-Humus is the dark organic matter that forms in soil when dead plant and animal matter breaks down further through the action of anaerobic organisms.
-Humus has many nutrients that improve the health of the soil, nitrogen being the most important.
-Most of the Deccan is occupied by Black soil, it is the best soil for cotton cultivation.
So, the correct answer is ‘Iron, Aluminium, Humus content’.
Note: Black soil is also called Chernozem which is derived from the Russian word. chernozem, meaning "black soil". It was first identified by Russian geologist Vasily Dokuchaev in 1883 in the tallgrass steppe or prairie of European Russia.