Soils

• The soils of Karnataka are laterite, red sandy or gravelly, red loamy, deltaic and coastal alluvium.
• Karnataka state is having varied type of climate, ranging from humid to sub-humid.
• Laterite and lateritic soils are found in the coastal districts of north and south Kanara, parts of Belgaum, Shimoga, Chickmagalore, Hassan and Coorg.
• The black soils are found in the districts of Belgaum, Dharwar, Bidar, Raichur and parts of Bellary. These soils are calcareous, enriched with bases and alkaline.
• The districts of Mysore and parts of Hassan are having red soils where as some parts of shimoga and Chickmagalore districts are having red loam soils. These soils are well-drained and light-textured.
• Black and red soils are found in the districts of Belgaum, Bijapur, Dharwar, Raichur, Bellary and Chitradurga.
• Generally, upland areas are having red soils and lowland areas are having black soils.

Climate

• Rice is heat and water loving plant, requiring high temperature and adequate moisture supply.
• For germination a minimum of 10oC and for flowering a temperature of 22-25oC is considered as an optimum. Grain formation takes place at 20-21oC.
• Low temperature particularly during 10-11 days before heading causes considerable loss in grain yield because of sterile spikelets.
• At ripening temperature should be in between 20-25oC.
• Rice is a short day, thermosensitive plant but now many thermoinsensitive varieties have been developed.
• It is mostly grown in areas receiving 1000-1500 mm rain.
• Crop needs heavy rains (125 mm) during vegetative phase and 200 mm monthly rain for low land and 100 mm for upland.
• Rice. In India it is grown from 8o to 35o north latitude from sea level to mountainous regions up to 3000 meters.
• Heavy winds specially after heavy rainfall or heavy irrigation results in severe lodging.

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