Resources and Development Test - 25

Over irrigation is main cause of land degradation in Punjab due to waterlogging leading to increase in salinity and alkalinity in the soil. Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh are the states facing issue of land degradation.

Black soils are derivatives of trapped lava. These are found mostly across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh on the Deccan plateau and the Malwa Plateau, where there is both moderate rainfall and underlying basaltic rock. This soil is best suitable for growing cotton.

Khadar type of soil is present in northern plains. It contains new alluvium. This type of alluvium is used extensively for agriculture.

• Soil conservation is a method of protecting soil from getting eroded either by wind or by water.
  
• Soil erosion is also caused due to defective methods of farming. Ploughing in a wrong way i.e. up and down the slope form channels for the quick flow of water leading to soil erosion. 
  
• The rest of the methods help in soil conservation.
  

• Arid soils range from red to brown in colour. 
  
• They are generally sandy in texture and saline in nature. In some areas the salt content is very high and common salt is obtained by evaporating the water. 
  
• Due to the dry climate, high temperature, evaporation is faster and the soil lacks humus and moisture. 
  
• After proper irrigation these soils become cultivable as has been in the case of western Rajasthan.
  

• Energy generated by using wind, tides, solar, geothermal heat are renewable and inexhaustible sources of energy. 
  
• Solar energy: Energy from the sun is called solar energy and it is the most abundant source of energy.
  
• Wind energy: Energy generated by wind. India ranks fifth in wind energy generation. 

• Resources are assets that are used by the living systems for the survival and development.
  
• National resources: Resources owned by a nation's government. Examples -roads, railways, etc. 
  

• Black cotton soil is also called as regular soil.
  
• Black soils are derivatives of trapped lava. These are found mostly across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, and Madhya Pradesh on the Deccan lava plateau and the Malwa Plateau, where there is both moderate rainfall and underlying basaltic rock.
  
• Cotton is grown well in this soil.
  

Strip cropping is a method or farming in which more than one variety of crops are grown in different strips.

One of the important crop that is usually grown along with other crops is gram. This is because it has good soil holding capacity and prevents soil erosion.