Concept:
- Each of the four soils of India has one description that belongs to it alone, so the safest method is to settle each pair from the property named in Column II.
- The keywords to watch are saline, potash and lime, lava, and humus.
Step 1: Fix pair (a), alluvial soil.
Alluvial soil is deposited by the rivers of the northern plains and is
very fertile, containing adequate proportions of potash, phosphoric acid and lime, which makes it ideal for sugarcane, paddy and wheat.
So a matches
ii.
Step 2: Fix pair (b), black soil.
Black soil is formed from
lava parent rock of the Deccan trap region. It holds moisture well and is famous as the soil most
suitable for growing cotton, which is why it is also called black cotton soil or regur.
So b matches
iii.
Step 3: Fix pair (d), arid soil.
Arid soil is found in the dry western parts of the country. It is
sandy in texture and saline in nature, and because evaporation is rapid it lacks humus and moisture.
So d matches
i.
Step 4: Fix pair (c) with the option that is left.
Only description iv remains, which speaks of a
decrease in humus content. This suits laterite soil, where high temperature destroys the decomposing bacteria, so very little humus is left in the soil.
So c matches
iv.
Step 5: Combine the four pairs.
a-ii, b-iii, c-iv, d-i, which is option (C).
Final Answer: (C) a-ii, b-iii, c-iv, d-i