Laterite has been derived from the Latin word ‘later’ which means brick. The laterite soil develops under tropical and subtropical climate with alternate wet and dry season. This soil is the result of intense leaching due to heavy rain. Lateritic soils are mostly deep to very deep, acidic (pH<6.0), generally deficient in plant nutrients and occur mostly in southern states, Western Ghats region of Maharashtra, Odisha, some parts of West Bengal and North-east regions. Where these soils support deciduous and evergreen forests, it is humus rich, but under sparse vegetation and in semi-arid environment, it is generally humus poor. They are prone to erosion and degradation due to their position on the landscape. After adopting appropriate soil conservation techniques particularly in the hilly areas of Karnataka, Kerala and Tamilnadu, this soil is very useful for growing tea and coffee. Red laterite soils in Tamilnadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala are more suitable for crops like cashew nut.

Laterite Soil _{Image Courtesy: Wikipedia}

Laterie soils in India

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Why humus content in laterite soil is low?