Soil Site Suitability for Major Crops

The higher silica to sesquioxide, Reiche's product index, bases to alumina and bases to sesquioxide ratio indicates lower state weather ability of soils of very gently sloping valley.The soils associated with hill top are classified as a member of loamy skeletal, mixed hyperthermic family of typic Ustorthents in Aravalli landscape whereas in the Malwa plateau, these soils are classified as a member of clayey skeletal mixed hyperthermic family of lithic Ustorthents. The soils of moderately sloping pediment is classified as the member of fine smectite mixed hyperthermic family of Haplustepts whereas, the soils of gently sloping pediment are grouped as the member of fine smectite hyperthermic family of typic Haplusterts subgroup of Vertisol soil order. The soils of hill top, side slope, foot slope and ridge steeply sloping were not suitable for arable cropping. The soils of very gently sloping valley and sloping pediment were highly suitable for maize, sorghum, bajra, cowpea, cotton, soybean and groundnut and moderately suitable for pigeonpea, sesamum and sunflower. The soils of very gently sloping valley also ranked high for wheat, barley and moderately for mustard and gram.