Soil and vegetation in Karnataka forms an interesting area of study. In Karnataka, soil and vegetation shows a varied trait with different kinds of soils spread in different regions.
The soil in Karnataka is varied with red clay and laterite soil, red soil mixed with clay and sand, black soil or split; and it is owing to the availability of the different kinds of soil in different region that influences the cropping pattern of Karnataka. The soil and vegetation in Karnataka are two complimentary terms that go hand in hand with each other.
It is noteworthy that in Karnataka about 61.95% of the land is cultivable; that is to say that the soil and vegetation produce a complete sync in Karnataka. In fact, the percentage of cultivable land in Karnataka is higher than any other state in India.
This sync in soil and vegetation supports the growth of different kinds of trees such as:
- Sandalwood
- Teak
- Rose Wood
- Honne
- Jack
- Mango
- Mathi
- Nandi
- White Cedar
- Bamboo
- coconut, etc.
- Laterites and lateritic soil - Lateritic soil is basically a vesicular rock composed of a mixture of the hydrated oxides of aluminum and iron with small amounts of manganese oxides, titania, etc. In Karnataka, the laterite soil occurs in the western part of the district of North and South Kanara, Shimoga, Hassan, Kadur and Mysore.
- Red soils - Red soil composes the majority of Karnataka. The red soil is the resultant of the weathering of the crystalline and metamorphic rocks and the red color of the soil is owing to the diffusion of iron oxide in high proportion.
