Laterite soil is formed due to intense leaching. Red laterite soil in Kerala is more suitable for:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Cashew nut
Laterite soil forms in areas of high temperature and heavy rainfall. The rain washes the lime and silica down (leaching), leaving a soil rich in iron and aluminium oxides, which give it its red colour, but poor in humus and nutrients. It is acidic and does not hold water well, so it does not suit most food crops without heavy manuring.
The cashew is a hardy tree crop that grows well on such well-drained, poor soils. That is why the red laterite soils of Kerala, Karnataka, Goa and Tamil Nadu are used for cashew; with conservation and manure they also suit tea and coffee.