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Soils of Uttar Pradesh
Soil types of UP — Alluvial (Bangar and Khadar), Red, Laterite, Sandy, and Usar soils with crop suitability, distribution, and Soil Health Card scheme for UPSSSC AGTA.
Introduction
Soil is the foundation of agriculture, and Uttar Pradesh — being India’s largest agricultural producer — has a diverse soil profile. The alluvial soil of the Gangetic Plain dominates, but the state also features red, laterite, sandy, and problematic Usar soils in different regions.
Major Soil Types of UP
| Soil Type | Hindi Name | Area Coverage | Region |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alluvial | जलोढ़ मिट्टी | ~90% | Gangetic Plain |
| Red & Yellow | लाल और पीली | ~5% | Bundelkhand, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra |
| Laterite | लेटराइट | Small patches | Southern UP (Mirzapur, Sonbhadra) |
| Sandy / Balu | बालू / रेतीली | Small areas | Western semi-arid fringe |
| Usar / Reh | ऊसर / रेह | Scattered | Alkaline patches across plains |
1. Alluvial Soil (जलोढ़ मिट्टी)
Alluvial soil is the most important soil in UP, deposited by the Ganga, Yamuna, and their tributaries. It is divided into two sub-types:
Bangar vs Khadar — The Critical Distinction
| Feature | Bangar (बांगर) | Khadar (खादर) |
|---|---|---|
| Hindi meaning | Old alluvium (पुरानी जलोढ़) | New alluvium (नई जलोढ़) |
| Location | Higher ground, away from rivers | Low-lying areas, near river banks |
| Age | Older deposits (Pleistocene) | Recent deposits (Holocene) |
| Composition | More clay, silt; contains kankar (calcium carbonate nodules) | Fine silt, sand; no kankar |
| Fertility | Less fertile (nutrients leached over time) | More fertile (renewed by annual floods) |
| Color | Darker, sometimes brownish | Light grey to yellowish |
| Flooding | Not flooded regularly | Flooded during monsoon |
| Crops | Wheat, gram, barley | Rice, sugarcane, vegetables |
Kankar (calcium carbonate nodules) in Bangar soil is a very common exam question. These hard nodules impede root growth and reduce fertility.
Nutrient Profile of Alluvial Soil
| Nutrient | Status |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen | Generally deficient |
| Phosphorus | Low to medium |
| Potassium | Medium to high |
| Organic matter | Low (due to intensive farming) |
| pH | Neutral to slightly alkaline (7.0–8.5) |
| Texture | Sandy loam to clayey loam |
2. Red & Yellow Soil (लाल और पीली मिट्टी)
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Bundelkhand (Jhansi, Lalitpur, Hamirpur), Mirzapur, Sonbhadra |
| Parent rock | Granite, gneiss (crystalline igneous rocks) |
| Color | Red due to iron oxide (Fe₂O₃); yellow when hydrated |
| Texture | Sandy to loamy; porous |
| Fertility | Low — deficient in nitrogen, phosphorus, and humus |
| pH | Acidic to neutral (5.5–7.0) |
| Suitable crops | Millets, groundnut, pulses, coarse grains |
3. Laterite Soil (लेटराइट मिट्टी)
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Small patches in southern Mirzapur and Sonbhadra |
| Formation | Intense leaching under high temperature and rainfall |
| Color | Brick red |
| Composition | Rich in iron and aluminium oxides; poor in silica |
| Fertility | Very low — heavily leached |
| Suitable crops | Cashew, tea (with heavy manuring); generally poor for cereals |
The word “Laterite” comes from Latin later = brick. This soil hardens like brick when exposed to air.
4. Sandy Soil (बालू / रेतीली मिट्टी)
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Location | Western fringes of UP — Agra, Mathura, semi-arid zones |
| Texture | Coarse; very high sand content |
| Water retention | Very poor — water drains rapidly |
| Fertility | Low — poor organic matter |
| pH | Alkaline (8.0+) |
| Suitable crops | Bajra, jowar, moth bean; requires irrigation for wheat |
5. Usar / Reh Soil (ऊसर / रेह मिट्टी)
Usar soil is the most problematic soil type in UP — it is alkaline, saline, and largely barren.
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Hindi names | ऊसर (Usar), रेह (Reh), कल्लर (Kallar) |
| Location | Scattered patches across the Gangetic Plain — Lucknow, Unnao, Raebareli, Pratapgarh, Aligarh |
| Cause | Poor drainage → waterlogging → salts accumulate on surface |
| pH | Highly alkaline (8.5–10.5) |
| Surface | White salt crust visible; barren appearance |
| Area | Estimated 12–13 lakh hectares in UP |
Reclamation of Usar Soil
| Method | Action |
|---|---|
| Gypsum application | Most effective — replaces sodium with calcium, reduces alkalinity |
| Green manuring | Dhaincha (Sesbania) grown and ploughed back into soil |
| Rice cultivation | Standing water helps leach salts downward |
| Improved drainage | Prevents waterlogging and salt accumulation |
| Pyrite application | Used in some areas to reduce pH |
Gypsum (CaSO₄) is the standard amendment for Usar reclamation — this is a very frequently asked question.
Soil-Crop Suitability Table
| Soil Type | Best Suited Crops | Region |
|---|---|---|
| Khadar (new alluvial) | Rice, sugarcane, vegetables, banana | River floodplains |
| Bangar (old alluvial) | Wheat, gram, barley, mustard | Higher plains |
| Red & Yellow | Millets, pulses, groundnut | Bundelkhand |
| Laterite | Tea, cashew (with amendments) | Southern UP patches |
| Sandy | Bajra, jowar, moth bean | Western semi-arid |
| Usar (alkaline) | Rice (after gypsum treatment) | Reclaimed patches |
Soil Health Card Scheme (मृदा स्वास्थ्य कार्ड)
| Parameter | Detail |
|---|---|
| Launched | 19 February 2015 by PM Modi (from Suratgarh, Rajasthan) |
| Objective | Provide soil nutrient status to every farmer |
| Cycle | Card issued every 2 years |
| Tests | 12 parameters — N, P, K, S, Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, B, pH, EC, Organic Carbon |
| Benefit | Farmers get crop-specific fertilizer recommendations |
| UP status | Over 2 crore cards distributed across UP |
Key Takeaways
- Alluvial soil covers ~90% of UP; divided into Bangar (old, less fertile, has kankar) and Khadar (new, more fertile, near rivers)
- Red & Yellow soil in Bundelkhand/Sonbhadra — iron-rich, nutrient-poor
- Usar (alkaline) soil covers 12–13 lakh hectares; reclaimed using gypsum
- Alluvial soil is nitrogen-deficient — requires regular fertilizer application
- Soil Health Card issued every 2 years; tests 12 parameters
- Laterite soil hardens like brick when exposed; found in southern UP patches
Summary Cheat Sheet
| Term | Quick Recall |
|---|---|
| Dominant soil | Alluvial (~90%) |
| Bangar | Old alluvium; has kankar; less fertile |
| Khadar | New alluvium; near rivers; more fertile |
| Kankar | CaCO₃ nodules in Bangar soil |
| Red soil location | Bundelkhand, Mirzapur, Sonbhadra |
| Red soil color cause | Iron oxide (Fe₂O₃) |
| Usar/Reh pH | 8.5–10.5 (highly alkaline) |
| Usar reclamation | Gypsum (CaSO₄) application |
| Usar area in UP | 12–13 lakh hectares |
| Soil Health Card | Every 2 years; 12 parameters |
| Alluvial N status | Deficient |
| Laterite meaning | Latin “later” = brick |
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