Gujarat: Soils

Analysis of Soils of Gujarat Region-wise

Central Gujarat

• The soils in central Gujarat range from shallow to deep.
• Deep and very deep soils are in the western part, while the eastern part has shallow soil.
• Generally, the soils are fine to coarser and well to moderately drained, with some slightly excessive drainage.
• The soils are slightly to moderately saline and slightly sodic.
• Vadodara, Panchmahal, and Dahod have soils of varying depths, from shallow to deep.
• Anand's soils range from moderately deep to very deep.
• The soils in Central Gujarat are generally fine to coarser.
• Anand, Kheda, Panchmahal, and Dahod have predominantly medium textured soils, followed by fine textured soils.
• Soils near Anand, Kheda, Panchmahal, and Dahod are coarser.
• In Vadodara, soils are mainly fine textured, followed by medium textured, and then coarser towards Vadodara and Dahod district boundary.
• Soil drainage in Anand, Kheda, and Panchmahal is well to moderately drained, while in Vadodara and Dahod, it varies from well drained to somewhat excessive drained.
• Western parts of Anand have medium saline soils, while the northern parts are slightly saline.

Saurashtra

• In the Saurashtra region, soils typically have shallow (25-50 cm) to moderately shallow (50-75 cm) depths. In contrast, soils in the Kachchh region are generally moderately deep (75-100 cm) to deep (100-150 cm). The northern part of Saurashtra is characterized by shallow soils, while the southern part features moderately shallow to moderately deep soils. The Gir area is notable for having very shallow soils (10-25 cm).
• Soil texture, which significantly influences soil characteristics related to plant growth, can be categorized into three groups: clayey (fine), loamy (medium), and sandy (coarse). The majority of soils in the Saurashtra region are clayey (fine-textured), whereas in the Kachchh region, soils are predominantly loamy (medium-textured). However, there are scattered areas in Saurashtra with loamy soils, and some parts of Kachchh feature sandy soils.
• Drainage plays a crucial role in the soil-air-water relationship and affects the availability of oxygen in the soil, which is essential for root growth. Most soils in the Saurashtra and Kachchh regions are well-drained, although some areas exhibit somewhat excessive drainage.
• Understanding the degree and extent of salt-affected soils, as well as the depth at which salinity occurs, is fundamental for improving such degraded soils. A soil salinity/sodicity map is useful for optimizing land use. Most of the Saurashtra and Kachchh regions are non-saline. However, coastal areas in these regions are saline, with parts of Kachchh near the Rann, and coastal areas of Porbandar and Bhavnagar districts exhibiting strong to very severe salinity. The northwestern part of Kachchh and the coastal area of Bhavnagar district have moderately strong salinity, while some parts of Rajkot district near the Little Rann of Kachchh and coastal areas of Jamnagar, Junagadh, Porbandar, Amreli, and Bhavnagar have slight salinity.
• In addition, some interior parts of Amreli and Bhavnagar districts, coastal parts of Rajkot, Jamnagar, Junagadh, Amreli, and Bhavnagar districts, and the western part of Kachchh exhibit slight sodicity in the soils. The Bhal area of Bhavnagar district has strong sodicity, and the coastal part of Porbandar district has moderate sodicity in the soils.

South Gujarat

• The South Gujarat region includes the districts of Bharuch, Narmada, Surat, Tapi, Navsari, Valsad, and Dang. The soils in this region are predominantly very deep, well-drained, and range from fine to medium textured. They exhibit slight alkalinity and vary from slight to strong salinity. The specific soil characteristics such as depth, texture, drainage, salinity, and sodicity have been mapped on a district-wise basis.
• Soil depth in South Gujarat is distinctly divided into two parts. On the western side, soils are predominantly very deep, followed by moderately deep, while on the eastern side, soils are mainly shallow, followed by moderately shallow.
• In the districts of Bharuch, Narmada, Surat, Navsari, and Valsad, soils are primarily categorized as very deep, with shallow soils also present. Moderately deep soils are also observed in these areas. In Tapi district, the soils are mainly shallow, followed by very deep soils. In Dang district, the soils are largely shallow.
• The soils in South Gujarat generally range from fine to medium texture (clayey to loamy clay), except in Dang district, where the soils are predominantly medium-textured.
• Soil drainage in South Gujarat is generally well to moderately drained, with Dang district having well-drained soils.
• Soil salinity in South Gujarat varies from slight to strong salinity. In Bharuch district, soil salinity ranges from slight to moderate, becoming severe closer to the coast. In the districts of Narmada, Tapi, and Dang, soil salinity is moderate. In Surat, Navsari, and Valsad, soil salinity ranges from slight to strong.
• Soil sodicity in South Gujarat generally falls under the slight sodicity class, except in Navsari, where it ranges from slight to moderate.

North Gujarat

• The North Gujarat region includes the districts of Banaskantha, Patan, Mahesana, Sabarkantha, Gandhinagar, Surendranagar, and Ahmedabad. The majority of this region is characterized by 'very deep' soils. However, 'deep' soils are prevalent in most parts of Surendranagar district and in some areas of Ahmedabad and Patan districts. 'Moderately deep' soils are found in certain areas of Surendranagar, Patan, and Ahmedabad districts, as well as in the northeastern part of Sabarkantha district. 
• The northeastern part (Sabarkantha district) and the southwestern part (Surendranagar district) of the region have 'very shallow' to 'shallow' soils, with rock outcrops also present in some areas, particularly in the northeastern (Banaskantha and Sabarkantha districts) and southwestern (Surendranagar district) parts of the region.
• The predominant soil texture in the region is 'Loamy.' However, in the southwestern part (Ahmedabad and Surendranagar districts), 'Clayey' soil texture is observed in some areas, while 'Sandy' soil is found in parts of the northern region (Banaskantha district).
• Most of the region has 'Well' drained soils. However, some areas, particularly in the central part (adjoining areas of Mehsana, Sabarkantha, and Gandhinagar districts) and the eastern part of Banaskantha and western part of Surendranagar districts, exhibit 'Somewhat excessively' drained soils. A few areas in the southern part of the region (adjoining areas of Ahmedabad and Surendranagar districts) and the western part (Patan district) have 'Moderately well' drained soils.
• In terms of soil salinity, some areas in the middle part of Ahmedabad district and the eastern part of Surendranagar district are 'Slightly Saline.' A significant area in the eastern part of Patan and the western part of Mahesana, as well as the southern part of Ahmedabad district and the northwestern part of Banaskantha district, has 'Moderate' soil salinity. 'Strongly' saline soils are observed in the southwestern part of Banaskantha and the western part of Patan district, with a few areas in the southern part of Ahmedabad district exhibiting 'Severe' soil salinity.
• Slight sodicity is found in the central part of the region (Patan, Mahesana, and Ahmedabad districts) and in the northeastern part of Surendranagar district. In the western part of the region (Banaskantha, Patan, Surendranagar, and Ahmedabad districts), 'Moderate' to 'Strong' sodicity of the soil is observed.

Soil Regions of Gujarat: Plains and Peninsulas

• Gujarat can be broadly divided into two primary soil regions: the plains and the peninsulas.
• In the southern parts of the Gujarat plains, deep black soils are prevalent. Central Gujarat, on the other hand, is characterized by sandy loam soil, locally known as Goradu, which is known for its high fertility. This region, often referred to as the 'Garden of Gujarat,' is renowned for its exceptional ability to produce abundant crops.
• The Kathiawar and Kachchh peninsulas feature soils derived from Deccan lava, with each region displaying distinct soil characteristics. In the northern parts of Jamnagar, Rajkot, and Surendranagar, the soil is primarily alluvial and sandy.