In which areas of our country is black loessial soil distributed? What is suitable for growing?

Black loessial soil is a kind of chernozem soil with residual clayey layer (commonly known as black loessial soil layer) developed on the parent material of loess. There is a dark gray humus layer with hidden sticky characteristics in the upper section of the black loessial soil. although this layer is deep and loose, the humus content is not high.

Black loessial soil is mainly distributed in the loess plateau, such as northern Shaanxi, eastern Gansu, southern Ningxia, northern Shanxi and Inner Mongolia, with light soil erosion and flat topography, loess hills and river valley high terraces. Among them, Dongzhiyuan, Zaosheng Yuan, Luochuan Plateau and other plateau areas with flat terrain and light erosion are the most, which is one of the main soil types in the Loess Plateau of China.

Because the humus layer of black loessial soil is deep and suitable for tillage, it has been all cultivated soil. There are many crops suitable for planting in black loessial soil, including wheat, millet, legumes and corn. However, in order to prevent soil erosion, measures should be taken to stop soil erosion, make full use of surface and groundwater resources, expand irrigation area and apply more organic fertilizers.

Related reading: types of black loessial soil

In addition to typical black loessial soil, it can also be divided into the following subcategories:

1. Black scorched soil

It is common in the north and west of the Loess Plateau, which is connected with chestnut soil and gray calcium soil respectively. Developed in sandy loess. The humus layer is 1 to 1.5 meters thick, the texture is coarse and dark, and the physical clay is 20%, about 4 times that of the parent material. The lime accumulation layer is obvious, the soil pH8.5 is about, and the lime content is 0.2-2.8%. The cation exchange capacity is low. The soil is dry and hot, the seedling is fast, and the stamina is poor.

2. clayey black loessial soil

It is more common in the south of the Loess Plateau. The earth is connected. The thickness of humus layer is 40cm to 80cm, and the sticking phenomenon is obvious, showing grayish brown. There are more lenticular and nodular lime nodules in the deposition layer, and the whole section shows a strong lime reaction, and the lime content is 11.2%. The water conservation and fertility conservation is strong and the fertility is high.

3. Black hemp soil

More common in the west of Liupan Mountain at an altitude of more than 2000 meters in the flat hills, humus layer thickness of more than 1 meter, dark color, organic matter content of 20.3%, strong calcareous reaction in the whole section; soil moisture cool, drought and not waterlogging resistance.