Which one of the following soils is ideal for growing cotton ?
- A.Regur soil
- B.Laterite soil
- C.Desert soil
- D.Mountainous soil
Correct answer
Explanation
The correct answer is A, Regur soil. Regur is the black soil of the Deccan, and its ability to hold moisture makes it the classic cotton soil of India. Black soil formed from the weathering of the basalt lava of the Deccan Traps and covers large parts of Maharashtra, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and western Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. It is clayey, rich in lime, iron, magnesia and potash, and poor in nitrogen and phosphorus. It swells when wet and develops deep cracks when dry, which helps it breathe, and it stays moist long after the rains, which suits cotton's long growing season. Option B is wrong because laterite soil is leached and acidic, better suited to tea, coffee and cashew. Option C is wrong because desert soil is sandy, saline and low in humus and water. Option D is wrong because mountain soil is thin and suits tea, fruit and forests rather than cotton. Exam tip: black soil = regur = black cotton soil, from Deccan basalt.
Practice Questions
View allConsider the following pairs :
Regions sometimes mentioned in news — Country
1. Catalonia — Spain
2. Crimea — Hungary
3. Mindanao — Philippines
4. Oromia — Nigeria
Which of the pairs given above are correctly matched ?
- A.1, 2 and 3
- B.3 and 4 only
- C.1 and 3 only
- D.2 and 4 only
Show answer
Catalonia is in Spain and Mindanao is in the Philippines, but Crimea and Oromia are paired with the wrong countries.
Read the full explanation →Which one of the following is a Rabi crop in the Northern States of India?
- A.Rice
- B.Bajra
- C.Barley
- D.Ragi
Show answer
Barley is sown in the cool, dry season after the monsoon and harvested in spring, which makes it a rabi crop in the northern states.
Read the full explanation →Which one among the following statements with reference to the black cotton soils of India is NOT correct?
- A.The black cotton soils are also called 'Regur'
- B.They are highly moisture retentive
- C.They are rich in lime
- D.These soils have less clay factor and hence can support a wide variety of crops and vegetables
Show answer
That is false: black soils are among the most clayey soils of India, and their high clay content is what lets them swell when wet and crack when dry.
Read the full explanation →Consider the following statements with regard to a steel plant : I. It was setup in 1964 with Russian collaboration II. It receives iron ore from the Rourkela region III. Water and Hydel power is supplied by the Damodar Valley Corporation Identify the Steel Plant on the basis of the above facts :
- A.Bhilai Steel Plant
- B.Bokaro Steel Plant
- C.Rourkela Steel Plant
- D.Durgapur Steel Plant
Show answer
Bokaro in Jharkhand was set up in 1964 with Soviet (Russian) help, takes its iron ore from the Rourkela region and draws water and hydel power from the Damodar Valley Corporation.
Read the full explanation →Consider the following statements : I. Earthquake waves are basically of two types, namely body waves and surface waves. II. The body waves interact with the surface rocks and generate surface waves. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
- A.I only
- B.II only
- C.Both I and II
- D.Neither I nor II
Show answer
Earthquake waves are of two basic types, body waves and surface waves, and surface waves are produced when body waves reach the surface and interact with the surface rocks.
Read the full explanation →