Mention three characteristics of black soil.

Black soil: (a) Features: (l) This soil is black in colour. (ii) It is also known as regur soil. (iii) It is ideal for growing cotton and is known as block cotton soil also. (iv) lt is made of clayey material. (v) It can hold moisture. (vi) It is rich in soil nutrients such as calcium carbonate, magnesium, potash and lime. (vii) lt is poor in phosphoric contents. (viii) lt develops deep cracks during hot weather which helps in the proper aeration of the soil. (ix) These soils are sticky when wet and difficult to work on unless tilled immediately after the first shower or during the pre-monsoon period.
(b) Places: It is found in Deccan trap Basalt) region spread over northwest Deccan plateau and is made up of lava flows. They cover the plateaus of Maharashtra, Saurashtra, Malwa, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, and extend in the south east direction along the Godavari and the Krishna valleys.