Traditional Knowledge for Sustainable Management of Soils - Principles of Sustainable Soil Management in Agroecosystems - page 307

TABLE 13.2
Farmers' Classification of Soils in Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra

Farmer Soil
Group Predominant Soil Type Depth (cm) Remarks

Andhra Pradesh (Mahabubnagar District)

Bette Red (Alfisols and

related soils)

Shallow (<30) Bette means “drought”

Dubba Red (as above) Shallow (30-60) Dubba means “loose”

Erra Red (as above) Medium (45-90) Erra means “red”

Nalla Black (Vertisols and

related soils)

Medium (>60) Nalla means “black”

Regadi Black (Vertisols) Deep (90-275) Regadi means “clayey”

Maharashtra (Solapur and Akola Districts)

Kali, Morwandi Black (Vertisols) Medium to deep

(90-135)

Kali means “black”

Karal Black (Vertisols; poor

infiltration)

Medium to deep
(90-135)

Harder soil

Barad Black-gray soil Medium (<100) Barad is drought prone

Marul Black (Vertisols) Deep (>200) Irrigated

Tambadi Red (Alfisols) Lies below top black soil It is considered as soil

amendment

Bhari kali Black (Vertisols) Deep (90-180) Bhari means “heavy”

Madhyam kali Black (as above) Medium to shallow

(30-75)

Madhyam means
“medium”

Halki Mixed color

(black and red)

Shallow to medium
(8-45)

Halki means “light”

Source: Dvorak, K.A., Indigenous soil classification in semiarid tropical India, Progress Report 84,
ICRISAT, India, 1988.

TABLE 13.3
Traditional Classification of Soils Followed by Farmers in Eastern India

Traditional Classification

Physiographic
Location

Ranchi
(Jharkhand)

Purulia
(West Bengal)

Kandhamhal
(Orissa)

Raipur
(Chattisgarh)

Upland Tanr 1 ; Tanr 2 Tanr Podar Dadar

Medium land Tanr 3 ; Don 3 Baid, Kanali Dhipa, Majhya Surra

Lowland Don 2 ; Don 1 Bohal Khatia Bahara

Source: Venkateswarlu, J., and K.P.R. Vittal, Case studies on adoption of production technologies in
rainfed rice, groundnut, rabi sorghum and pearlmillet, Module 3, ICAR/World Bank project,
CRIDA, Hyderabad, India, 1999.