Question Challenges with Black Soil and Mitigation steps

[suhasn]

Hello Experts, I am a newbie to agriculture and I am looking to purchase a small plot of about 4 acres of land at my hometown . I have identified a plot which is almost a virgin piece as the owner hasn't cultivated anything for last 15 years. It is flat and levels land with good approach road. But my only concern with proceeding is that it is having Black Soil and after some discussions with certain experts I have been told its very difficult to farm with Black Soil due to high water logging, clay content roots are not well aerated and can be highly saline and not suitable for plants growth. I would like to hear your thoughts on what should be my approach: - Is it a major drawback that I should avoid the purchase of the land? - If not, how can I mitigate the risks? Should I try and add red soil on the top to some extent or would just ensuring the organic content by following organic farming principles would be sufficient? Any other suggestions would be very much welcome. Thanks....

 

[garao56]

Black soils:
Soil formation:
Parent material: Generally basic parent material like basalt rich in lime, soda feldspars
and clay. Semiarid-subhumid climate, Lower/ plain topography
Soil Properties:
Black colour - clay humus complex / titaniferous magnetite, 30-80%clay (highly argillaceous), clay - clay loam, smectite clay,
Extremely hard on drying and very sticky and very plastic on wetting Because of swell-shrink nature, they develop deep wide cracks, gilgai relief, slickensides in lower depths due to churning / argillopedoturbation.
SiO2/R2O3 3 –3.5, high B.D (1.5 – 1.8 Mg m-3) due to compaction in lower layers, high total pore psace, pH (7.8 - 8.7/9.5), CEC (35 – 55 cmol/kg), BS up to 100%, CaCO3 (up to 40%), WHC (150 - 250 mm/m)
Generally low OM. High nutrient hodling capacity.
Llow HC and permeability. Hence ill drained and more runoff.
Constraints:
Deep black soils: Narrow workable moisture, poor traficcability, high draft power (heavy
soils), low permeability, poor drainage, low HC,
High EC and salinity in sub-soil.
Micronutrient deficiency in calcareous soils.
Potentialities & Land Use:
Inherently fertile, suitable for dry farming, unde r rainfed conditions cotton and millets,
under irrigation rice, sugarcane etc., can be grown
Management: ICRISAT – Dry season / pre-monsoon sowing, BBF