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SOILS OF SIKKIM

SOILS OF SIKKIM

Detailed studies on the soils of the state and their distribution have not yet been done. A rapid soil survey of low intensity was conducted by the National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning, Calcutta Regional Centre, during 1981 has established eight sub-groups and fifteen soil series and are given below:
 

Soil sub-group Soil series
Typic Haplumbrepts Markong, Hilley
Lithic Haplumbrepts Gompa
Typic Dystrochrepts Lingtse, Losep, Namthang
Litic Dystrochrepts Machong
Umbric Dystrocbrepts Thekabong, Chatrikola, Padamchen.
Lithic Udorthents Putuli, Simkara, Nandugaon
Aquic udifluents  Majitar
Ultic Hapludalfs Tariku.


Brief Description of Sol Series and their Classification in Sikkim Markong Series (M):

It comprises moderately deep, well-drained loamy skeletal soil with dark brown to dark reddish brown colour. They have been developed on mica schists. This soil occurs on strongly sloping (10-15%) hill top with moderate to severe erosion. Soils are under moderately dense forest and pasture land.

The Markong Series is tentatively classified as a member of loamy skeletal mixed thermic family of Topic Haplumbrepts.

Putuli Series (p): It comprises shallow excessively drained dark brown loamy skeletal soil having some rock particles scattered over the surface. These are developed on micaceous gneissic parent rock of talus deposits. These soils occur on moderately sloping and very steep upper hill slopes. They are moderately to severely eroded and are susceptible to land slides.

The Putuli Series is tentatively classified as a member of loamy skeletal mixed thermic of Lithic Udorthents.

Lingtse Series (L):

It comprises very deep, moderately well-drained fine loamy soils with dark grayish brown to dark brown colour. They have been developed on gneissic parent rock. These soils occur on steep low hill slopes and moderately eroded. The soils are under terraced cultivation.

The Lingtse Series is tentatively classified as a member of fine loamy mixed thermic family of Typic Dystrochrepts.

Thekabong Series (T):

It comprises moderately deep, moderately well drained loamy skeletal soil with dark grayish brown in colour. They have developed on micaceous gneissic parent rock. These soils occur in the steep to very steep middle and lower slopes of hill. Soils are bench terraced for cultivation. The soils are moderately eroded and susceptible to severe erosion.

The Thekabong Series is tentatively classified eroded and loamy skeletal mixed thermic family of Umbric Dystrocrepts

Machong Series (MA):

It comprises moderately deep moderately well-drained, grayish brown fine loamy soils. They have been formed from the underlain micaschists. These soils occur on the moderately steep to steep low hill slopes and piedmont. The soils are under terraced cultivation. Erosion is moderate to severe.

The Machong Series is tentatively classified as a member of fine loamy mixed thermic family of Lithic Dystrochrepts.

Chatrikhola Series (C):

It comprises deed, moderately well-drained fine loamy soils with very dark graysh brown to dark brown colour. They are developed on micaceous gneiss parent rock. These soils occur on steep to very mid slope of low hill slopes and rare moderately to severely eroded.

Chatrikhola Series is tentatively classified as a member of fine loamy mixed thermic family of Umbric Dystrochrepts.

Gompa Series (G):

It comprises shallow excessively drained loamy skeletal soils withn brown to dark brown colour. They have been developed on gneissic parent rock. This soil occurs on moderately sloping and steep to very escarpments. The soils are under severe to very severe erosion and are susceptible to sliding.

The Gompa Series is tentatively classified as a member of loamy skeletal mixed thermic family of Lithic Haplumbrepts.

Losep Series(LO):

It comprises deep, moderately well-drained, loamy skeletal soils with grayish brown to yellowish brown colour. They have been developed on colluvial materiala over gneissic parent rock. These soils occur on steep lower slopes of hills and are moderately to severely eroded.

The Losep Series is tentatively classified as a member of loamy skeletal mixed thermic family of Typic Dystrochrepts.

Namthang Series:

It comprises deep, well-drained, loamy skeletal soils with brown to dark yellowish brown colour developed from phyllite parent rock occurring on moderately sloping to strongly sloping mid hill slopes and are moderately eroded. Soils are under paddy cultivation.

It is tentatively classified as a member of loamy skeletal mixed thermic family of Typic Dyestrocrepts.

Simikara Series:

It comprises moderately deep excessively drained coarse loamy, fragmental soils with yellowish brown to light olive brown colour and developed on micaschist parent rock. This soil occurs on very steep escarpment slope and is severely eroded. Soils are under dense forest.

Nandugaon Series:

It comprises well-drained coarse loamy, fragmental soils with brown to dark brown colour, developed from sandstone parent rock, The soil occurs on steeply sloping mid and upper part of hills are severely eroded. Soils are under crop cultivation (Maize). 

It is tentatively classified as a member of coarse loamy fragmental, mixed thermic family of Lithic Udorthents.


Hilly Series:

It comprises vary deep moderately well-drained fine loamy soils with dark reddish brown to reddish brown colour developed on gneissic parent material. The soil occurs on steeply sloping upper hill slope and is moderately eroded. Soils are under crop cultivation.

It is tentatively classified as a member of fine loamy mixed thermic family of Typic Haplumbrepts.

Padamchen Series:

It comprises moderately deep, moderately well-drained, fine loamy soils with brown to yellowish brown colour and developed from gneissic parent material. This soil occurs on moderately steep to upper hill slope with severe erosion under thin forest vegetation.

It is tentatively classified as a member of fine loamy mixed thermic family of Umbric Dystrochrepts.

Taraku Series:

It comprises very deep, moderately well-drained fine loamy soils with brown to dark colour developed on sand stones. Soils occur on moderately steep to steep upper and mid-hill slopes and are moderately eroded. Soils are under horticultural crops.

It is tentatively classified as a member of fine loamy mixed thermic family of Ultic Hapludalfs.

Majitar Series:

It comprises deep, well-drained loamy soils with grayish brown to light gray colour. They are of alluvial and collurial origin. This soil occurs on gently sloping to moderately sloping uplifted river terraces and is susceptible for river bank erosion and flooding. Soils are under horticultural crops.

It is tentatively classified as a member of coarse loamy, mixed, thermic Aquic Udifluvent. 

Explanation of the Symbol

Soil series Slope Class
Markong - M Moderately sloping 5-10% D
Gompa - G Moderately steep to 15-25% G steep
Putuli - P  
Lingtse - L Very steep slopes 33-50% H
Tekabong - T Very very steep slopes over 1Slope 50%
Machong - MA  
Chatrikhola - C  
Losep - LO  

Fertility Status:

Soil reaction acidic, about 50% having pH 5.0 or below, about 45% having pH 5.0 to 6.0 and rest pH 6.0 or above.
Organic matter content high mostly, between 2 to 5% but low up to 15 high up to 10% are also available.
Available N about 60% low, 30% medium and 10% high.
Available phosphorous about 30% low, 35% medium and 25% high.
Available potash about 20% low, 35% medium and 45% high.
Lime requirement mostly between 5.0 tonnes per hectares but varies from 0 to 40 tonnes per hectares.
 

Water holding capacity of the soils is medium. Soil generally fall in hydrological group “B”