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Red Soils of Bangladesh: Concept, Distribution, Utilization and Future Prospects

M. S. Hussain
Department of Soil Science, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Abstract/ Executive Summary:

The Red soils in Bangladesh exist on the Pleistocene terraces and Tertiary hills, and cover approximately 12 per cent of the land area of the country. Most of these soils had been classified as Ultisols, Alfisols and Inceptisols; with no Oxisols in Bangladesh. Soils of the Pleistocene terraces are heavy-textured while those of the Tertiary hills are coarse- textured. The latter soils also have low fertility level and low moisture-holding capacity. The organic matter content in general is low. Most of the soils are strongly acidic. The major part of the Red soils in Bangladesh are covered by mixed tropical moist evergreen and deciduous forests. Other significant uses of these soils are for the production of tea (Camemmelia sinensis), tubber (Hevea brasiliensis), jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus), pineapple (Ananas comosus), rice (Oriza sativa), sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum), banana (Musa sapiens) and kenai (Hibiscus cannabinus). The Red soils in Bangladesh are not intensively cultivated, and erosion is a common hazard; Jhum is practiced in the eastern hills. Pressure of population is intense on forest soils and they are being massively encroached on by local people resulting in a gradual decrease in forest acreage. Social/community and agroforestry techniques have been introduced for the mutual benefit of all. Present management of the Red soils is far from sustainable.

Keywords: Red soils, Tertiary hills, Eastern hills, Agroforestry

Location: Department of Soil Science, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh

Start Date:

End Date:

Program Area: Crop-Soil-Water Management

Commodity: Land management

Objectives:

To determine a state-of-knowledge synthesis of the Red soils of Bangladesh and examine their management and future prospects.

Methodology:

On the basis of the heavy mineral contents in the sand fraction, Huizing (1971) identified a single mineralogical province in the Red soil areas of Bangladesh. These sediments have relatively low contents of feldspars and micas, and high quantities of epidote, zircon, tourmaline, kyanite, staurolite and sillimanite in the heavy sand fraction. The weatherable mineral content is variable. Usually the low hills have low contents (4-10%) and the high hills have higher contents of weatherable minerals in the sand fraction while in the terrace soils it ranges from 4 to 14 per cent. Weathering has had little influence on the mineralogical composition (SRDI Staff 1965-1986). Biotite is the only mineral that shows clear signs of weathering in these soils (Huizang, 1971). Since the Red soils -have developed on different parent materials their clay mineralogical composition shows considerable variation. Available information indicates that the kaolinite is the dominant clay mineral in most soils followed by mica. The quantity of mica in some soils is considerable, and in some the other minerals like vermiculite, chlorite, mixed layer minerals and even traces of smectite are known to occur (Forestal, 1966; White, 1985). In some Brown soils of the Barind tract calcareous nodules are present. The above facts indicate that the Red soils of Bangladesh have not been intensely weathered. Egashira (1988) identified high quantity of interstratified minerals in the clay fraction of some of the terrace soils from the Madhupur tract in Bangladesh. In a few places of the above tract albic materials have been identified, which are thought to be the products of ferrolysis (Brinkman, 1970). The Red soils in Bangladesh are presently used for a large variety of purposes-both agricultural and non-agricultural. The major part of the soils in the eastern hills (1.4 . million ha) are covered by tropical evergreen and semi-evergreen forests, mostly natural, and a few plantations (FAO-UNDP, 1988). Large areas of tropical rain forests are now practically denuded of forest cover and have assumed the character of savannah or are partially barren causing severe soil erosion, land-slide and droughtiness. Most of the tea plantations of the country, are located on the low hills of Sylhet and Chittagong. Because of strong leaching and synthetic fertilizer application these soils have become strongly acid, and though AI+++ toxicity is a problem, liming is scarcely practiced. Rubber plantations are mainly located on the low hills of Chittagong hill tracts and Sylhet. New rubber plantations have been recently started in the Madhupur tract. Soils in the latter tract are fine-textured and it remains to be seen how well the rubber trees will grow on these soils. Jhum (shifting cultivation) is widely practised by hill tribes in Chittagong hill tracts. In traditional shifting cultivation the natural vegetation is slashed and burnt during the dry season and when rain comes, a mix of summer varieties of upland rice, hill cotton, maize, sesame, vegetables is sown. Ginger, turmeric, local varieties of banana, some citrus and jackfruit are grown as well. Apart from these, large areas of unfavourable slopes have been opened up for pineapple adopting erroneous cultivation practices. The Red soils of Madhupur and Barind tracts under natural conditions are covered by tropical moist deciduous forest also known as sal (Shorea robusta) forest. This forest covers only 0.12 m ha (Bhuiyan, 1993). Important summer field crops are early summer rice or mesta followed by cowpea. Mustard, sugarcane, groundnut and horticultural crops are locally important. Mango, litchi, ginger and turmeric are also grown.

Source of Information: Proc. Intl. Seminar on Managing Red and Lateric Sols for Sustainable Agriculture, Bangalore, India, 1993

Article Link (Online Journal):

Funding Source:

Budget:

Total Budget (Tk.) :

Achievement/Findings:

Erosion and the associated land degradation are the basic problems in the Red soil management in Bangladesh. To utilize these soils to their maximum potential, reckless land use practices must be stopped. Emphasis must be placed on proper land-use considering the best use of available technology, socio-economic and socio-cultural conditions, infrastructural and institutional facilities and, above all, ecological balance. One major aim of conservation practices should be to regenerate soil properties and to restore potentials for the future. Agricultural research will have to be initiated to develop management systems that will be resource-efficient and at the same time environment friendly.

Knowledge Management: Report/Proceedings