Arid and Desert Soil of India

In parts of the Thar Desert, the ground carries so much salt that people once evaporated groundwater just to harvest it. That’s arid soil at its most extreme.

Must Know

• Arid and desert soil forms under a dry climate, where evaporation outpaces the little rainfall that falls.
• It concentrates in western Rajasthan’s Thar Desert. It also extends into Gujarat‘s Rann of Kutch, southern Punjab, and Haryana.
• The soil is sandy to gravelly in texture, and ranges from red to brown in colour.
• It runs low in humus and organic matter. The dry climate leaves little vegetation behind to decompose.
• Under this same dry climate, the soil also carries a high concentration of soluble salts.

Good to Know

• In some patches, salt content runs so high that common salt could once be obtained just by evaporating groundwater.
• Below the surface, calcium builds up into a hard layer called kankar. It blocks water infiltration and root growth.
• Despite low humus and nitrogen, the soil’s phosphate and iron content stay roughly normal.
• On its own, it grows hardy kharif crops: bajra (pearl millet), guar (cluster bean), moth bean, and sesame.

Test Yourself

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1. Arid and desert soil in India concentrates mainly in which region?

Western Rajasthan’s Thar Desert

The Gangetic delta of West Bengal

The Malabar Coast of Kerala

The Chota Nagpur Plateau

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Great to Know

• Water, not minerals, is this soil’s real limitation. Irrigation can transform its yields dramatically.
• The Indira Gandhi Canal, carrying Sutlej-Beas water, has reshaped agriculture across western Rajasthan’s desert soils.
• Wind still erodes the loose, sandy topsoil here, though water causes even more erosion overall.
• Despite the harsh conditions, arid soil still supports millions of hectares of rainfed kharif cultivation across India’s dry northwest.