Question

Mention any three characteristics of black soil which makes the soil fertile.

Answer 1

Hint: Fertility (of land / soil etc.) is the property of producing abundantly and sustaining vigorous and luxuriant growth.

Complete Answer:
Let us first recall what black soil is.
Black soils have a black-ish surface and are mineral soils.
Now, let us examine three characteristics or reasons which make the black soil fertile -
1. Black soil has a huge proportion of humus (partially decomposed organic matter; the organic component of soil) and clay (a very fine-grained soil that is plastic when moist but hard when fired) (due to the presence of organic matter present due to death and decay of organisms).
2. Black soil is the richest soil in nutrients [any substance (such as a chemical element or inorganic compound) that can be taken in by a green plant and used in organic synthesis].
3. They have high retention (the property of holding something back within) for moisture. This property makes the black soil respond well to irrigation.
These properties make the black soil very fertile, and thus very productive for farming and crop production. Black soils also store carbon for quite a long time, which is an added bonus for the crop farming as well as production.

Note: Black soils lack nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus. However, black soils are rich in magnesium, lime, alumina and iron. It is mostly used for growing cotton and cereals in India, along with oilseeds, tobacco and vegetables.