Black soil is described as sticky when wet and difficult to work on. Farmers are advised to till it immediately after the first shower or during the pre-monsoon period. Using the properties of black soil, justify this farming practice.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:29 · grounding rag
Model Answer
Black soil is made up of extremely fine clayey material with a high capacity to hold moisture. When wet, it becomes very sticky and hard to plough. However, before the monsoon or right after the first shower, the soil has just enough moisture — it is neither bone dry (which causes cracking) nor waterlogged. Tilling at this stage breaks the soil easily, allows proper aeration, and prepares a good seedbed before it becomes too sticky to work.
Source: Resources and Development, Classification of Soils — Black Soil
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Explanation
- The question asks you to link two properties of black soil to the farming practice: (1) high moisture retention → sticky when wet, and (2) develops deep cracks when dry → difficult to till then too.
- Mentioning the narrow window (first shower / pre-monsoon) and why it works (optimal moisture, easier tillage) earns full marks.
- Avoid writing a general paragraph on black soil — stay focused on justifying the practice.