Which type of soil, locally known as regur, covers the extensive plateaus of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat, and is exceptionally well-suited for cotton cultivation due to its high moisture-retention capacity?

💡 Solution & Explanation

Black cotton soils, or regur soils, develop from the weathering of basaltic lava flows associated with the Deccan Traps and are renowned for expanding when wet and developing deep cracks when dry. Laterite soils form in regions with high temperature and heavy seasonal rainfall, red soils develop on crystalline igneous rocks in low-rainfall areas, and alluvial soils dominate river floodplains. Black soils are rich in clay, calcium carbonate, and magnesium but deficient in nitrogen and phosphorus. This self-plowing property makes regur highly fertile for rainfed agriculture.