Climate, Soils and Crops of Jammu and Kashmir

Soils and climate of J&K

Climate Of Three Division:

a) Jammu (Sub-Tropical)

b) Kashmir (Temperate)

c) Ladakh (Arctic Cold Desert)

a) Jammu:

3 seasons:

(i) Winter: Nov – Feb

(ii) Summer: Mar — June

(iii) Rainy: June — Oct

South part:

Climate resembles with Punjab,

Hot summers, Monsoon rains, Cold winters.

Mountainous part: Climate resembles with Kashmir

Cause of rainfall (Summer): Monsoon (barsaat)

Cause of rainfall (Winter): Temperate cyclones

(Western disturbance) Coldest Month: January

Loo: Hot dry winds during May — June.

Monsoon: (barsaat) from mid June.

Reasi district receives maximum rainfall.

b) Kashmir:

Type of Climate: Continental type,

Sub-tropical to Arctic type.

4 seasons:

(i) Winter: Nov- Feb

(ii) Spring: Mar — May

(iii) Summer: May — Sep

(iv) Autumn: Sep — Oct

Spring season is known as Sonth in Kashmir.

Coldest Month: January

Chillai Kalan: 40 days of harsh winters in Kashmir.

Cause of rainfall/snowfall during winters: Temperate cyclones (Western disturbance)

c) Ladakh:

• Cold and Dry.

• Very less rainfall.

‘ Drass is the coldest place in India. (minus 48 0 C in Jan 1986)

Seasons	Time period	Jammu	Kashmir
Spring	16 March-15^thMay	Bahaar	Sonth
Summer	16 May -15th July	Soha	Grishm
Rainy	16 July-15th Sept	Barsant	Wahaarat
Autumn	16 Sept.-15Nov.	Patjhar	Harud
Winter	16 Nov. – 15h Jan	Syaala	Wandah
Ice Cold	16 Jan-15thMarch	——–	Shishur

Soils

Three main types of soils in J&K:

i) Hilly & Mountainous soil

ii) Alluvial soil

iii) Karewa soil

1) Hilly & Mountainous Soil:

Crops cultivated on such soil:-

Maize

Pulses

Oil seeds

Fodder

In Kashmir, orchards of apple, pear and walnut have been grown on such soils ii) Alluvial Soil:

Soils deposited by the action of river.

Most productive soils of the state.

Found in: Southern Kashmir

2) Alluvial Soil

Two types of alluvial soil:

Old Alluvium: (Bhanghar) Lies above the banks of river New Alluvium: (Khadar) Fertile soil.

Can grow 2-3 crops every year.

In Kashmir: Paddy

In Jammu: Wheat, Gram, Paddy, Mustard

3) Karewas:

Found around the banks of river Jhelum.

Found in Kashmir and Kishtwar.

For the cultivation of Cash Crops:

Saffron

Almonds Walnuts

Apples

Pears

The valley of Kashmir has many types of soils like: Gurti (clay), Bahil (Loam), Sekil (Sandy), Nambaal (Peats), Surzamin, Lemb, Floating garden soils and Karewa soils.

Other soil types are:-

Gruti (Clayey Soil):

Clay makes up a significant component of it. However, it has a large capacity to hold water. The lowest rainfall years are thought to be the safest for rice farming. On the other hand, if the soil takes the form of hard cakes, it becomes difficult to plough and difficult to pulverize. These soils provide low yields during the dry years. The Kashmir Valley’s low-lying regions are home to the gruti soils.

Behil (Loamy Soil):

Behil’s thick loamy soil has a high humus level, which makes it naturally fertile. It does not require much manuring as a result. Over-manuring causes the soil to become too strong, which makes the rice crop more vegetative and more prone to lodging. It is perfect for growing paddy fields.

Sekil (Sandy Loam):

Sekil has a sandy subsoil and is a light loam. If artificial irrigation is available, good rice crops are harvested in the summer on the sekil soil field. Usually, it is limited to the valley off Kashmir’s karewas, specifically their lower edges.

Dazanlad (Sandy Silt):

Dazanlad soil is mostly found in the low-lying areas close to marshes, while it can also occasionally be found in the higher communities. The soil gets warmer in the summer and has a mixture of clay and sand. One unusual feature of dazanlad is that the irrigation water becomes crimson when left in the fields. High yielding varieties of rice can be effectively produced in dazanlad soils with controlled watering.

Nambal (Peaty Soils):

This fertile peaty soil, called Nambal locally, is located close to the banks of the Jhelum River, as well as the Wurd, Manasbal, and Anchar lakes. Rapeseed, mustard, maize, oats, legumes, and fodder are all produced well on nambal soils during years with typical rainfall and moderate snowfall.

Tand (Mountainous Soils):

Sand soil is the dirt that has been cleared from forests and placed on the slopes of mountains. After two or three years of reclamation, the soil offers fair yields of maize, pulses, and fodder; nevertheless, soil erosion causes the land to lose its inherent strength, which lowers productivity. Eventually, the land takes on the characteristics of a pasture and culturable waste.

Also Read: Climate of India, Climate Zones of India, Jet Streams and How do they affect the climate of India?

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Climate, Soils and Crops of Jammu and Kashmir for JKSSB, JKAS and other UT Exams