Archives

Soils of Kavalur sub-watershed of Koppal district of Karnataka characterized and classified. Based on soil heterogeneity, twenty two profiles were studied for the morphological features. Among them, four (pedon 1, 2, 4 and 6) and 18 (pedon 3, 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22) soil pedons belonged to red and black soil, respectively. The detailed morphological descriptions of the pedons were done in the field as per the procedure outlined in Soil survey manual. The results revealed that the depth of the pedons varied from moderately deep (50 - 100 cm) to very deep (>180). The colour of red soil pedons varied from 2.5 YR 2.5/3 (dark reddish brown) to 5 YR 4/4 (reddish brown) and in black soils from 7.5 YR 3/3 (dark brown) to 10 YR 5/4 (yellowish brown). Soil texture varied from sandy clay loam to clay, having weak to moderately sub angular structure with many fine roots distributed in surface horizons. Consistence of soil pedons varied from slightly hard to very hard when dry, very friable to firm when moist, slightly sticky to very sticky and slightly plastic to very plastic when wet. Slickensides were observed in pedons 5 and 8. Pressure faces were observed in pedons 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 17, 19 and 20. Soils were classified up to Family level. Taxonomically, the soils of the study area were classified under the orders Alfisols, Inceptisols and Vertisols.
Keywords: Soil survey manual, Alfisols, Inceptisols and Vertisols.