Characteristics and Classification of Some Soils of Trans-Yamuna Plain

Abstract

Characteristics and elemental composition of soils of four pedons representing four landforms of Banda plain in Bundelkhand region of Uttar Pradesh were studied. Khraund soils on piedmont plain are well drained, reddish brown, clay loam, slightly acidic, low in organic carbon, moderately eroded and classified as Fluventic Ustochrept. Bharatkup pedon on recent dissected flood plain is somewhat excessively drained, light yellowish brown, sandy clay loam, highly calcareous with lime kankars, severely eroded soils and classified as Typic Ustochrept. Badausa pedon on slightly undulating flood plain has moderately well drained, dark greyish brown, clay soils with deep cracks and weak slickensides and classified as Udic Haplustert. Considerable reduction of CEC and weak slickensides are probably the expression of partial chloritization of smectitic clays. Anuwan soils on level flood plains are imperfectly drained, greyish brown to olive brown, silty clay, rich in organic carbon, showing surface cracks and redoximorphic features, hence, put under Vertic Epiaquepts. The soils are, in general, siliceous; the variations in SiO2 and total base content are mostly associated with nature, source and composition of alluvium.