Question

The reddish color of Red and Yellow soils is primarily due to:

• A. High content of humus and organic matter.
• B. Diffusion of iron in crystalline and metamorphic rocks.
• C. Presence of volcanic ash and lava.
• D. High concentration of calcium and magnesium.

Answer 1

Answer:

B. Diffusion of iron in crystalline and metamorphic rocks.

Red and yellow soil

• Red soil spreads over an area of about 5.18 lakh km2. It develops on crystalline igneous rocks of low rainfall in the eastern and southern part of the Deccan Plateau.

• Along the piedmont zone of the Western Ghat, a long stretch of area is occupied by red loamy soil.

• Yellow and red soils are also found in parts of Odisha and Chhattisgarh and in the southern parts of the middle Ganga plain

• Red and yellow soils are normally fertile. They are generally poor in nitrogen, phosphorus and humus, and rich in potash.

• These soils develop a reddish colour due to diffusion of iron in crystalline and metamorphic rocks. They look yellow when they occur in a hydrated form