Soils Musakhel

The Atlas of Pakistan describes the land of Musakhel as rock outcrops and loamy, very shallow steep high mountain soils of mainly arid and semi-arid zones (rock outcrops and Lithic Cambothids). The mountainous land of Musakhel is made of rock outcrops, lithosols, and rigosols. With the virtual absence of vegetation, soil formation is minimal. The foothills are covered with talus cones and alluvial fans, generally composed of gravel, pebbles, and sands. Beyond the foothills, the valley floors are covered with silt and loam. These are fertile soils of great agricultural value in the rocky waste. Limestone, shale and sandstone are the main types of rocks involved in the formation of this area. Vulcanic rocks cover the area in patches. Limestone yields very little soils. Most of the soils formed on the slopes are removed by wind, water, and gravity. Stony soils lie over the bedrock and are classified as lithosols. Over the flatter areas, rigosols, soils without many stones, dominate..

Well-vegetated mountains of Musakhel

 

Locally, about six types of soils are found in Musakhel. Lasai or Súr Khaurai is soft red soil containing silt or mat and is found in Kingri circle and the Sahra valley. This land is used for cultivation of wheat, juar, and bajra. Tor Khaurai is dark hard loam found in Drug and Rarasham areas and is used for wheat and maize. Sand loam, the Sagai, is found in Rod Kingri and Rod Karhér areas, and Zhghalína (gravely) in Drug circle are used for cultivating Moong. In some areas of Toisar and Drug earth is spread in rocky ground to form soil artificially. Locally it is called Návrina Mzakka and it is used to cultivate barley and maize. Barley is also cultivated on saline soils, called Tarkhbandae, of Sanghar hills, Rod Srin, Mirzai, and Toisar.

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