Free Iron Oxide in Relation to Aggregation in Lateritic Soils of East Midnapur Foreset Division, West Bengal

Abstract

The lateritic soils of East Midnapur Forest Division, West Bengal are low in the physico-chemical agents responsible for soil aggregation except total and free iron oxides. The state of aggregation of the five depths studied considered along with the vertical distribution pattern of free iron oxides and of clay in these soils indicate that free iron oxides have participated rather actively in the formation of the non dispersible aggregates stable to water action. The trend of distribution and the relationships of the free iron oxides vis-a-vis aggregation has been discussed.