Soil morphology is the study of physical property of soil such as soil structure, soil texture, soil colour, soil consistency, soil plasticity etc. This is basis for understanding identification, classification and mapping of soil Sowjanya et al. (2023). It's also for how soil changes over time, how land use affect soil quality Kurmi et al. (2023). Soil is the life supporting system of human being as well as social and economic development of people depends on this soil. More than ever before, a renewed attention is being given to soils due to rapidly deceasing area for Agriculture, deceasing fertility and increasing soil degradation due to wrong land use of policies and irrational and imbalanced use of inputs (Kanwar, 2004). All the above factors call for paradigm shift in research away from maximum crop production so sustainability of crop production system without degradation of soil health and environmental quality. The study of soil morphology and taxonomy supply information for nature and soil type, their constraints, potentials, capabilities and their suitability for different uses (Sehgal, 1996). Soil resource inventory through characterization of the resources provides an insight into the potentials and limitations of soils Shilpa Mohanty et al. (2023). This is use for soil resources management, protect water quality and sustained vegetation (Manchanda et al., 2002). 

The objective of soil survey is to identify, describe and interpret soil types, land management, soil capability classification, soil age, studies of ecosystem and other relationship and to develop guidelines for soil resources management. In large and intermediate soil studies, the soil series is taken as basic taxonomic unit to study the soils. As the taxonomic class soil series is most homogeneous category in soil taxonomy (Soil Survey Staff, 1995; Kumar et al., 2021). The soils of Maharashtra states, their kinds, distribution, characterization and interpretation for optimizing land use given by Challa (1995).  This soil survey is most useful for the land use planning and other purpose in the Western Maharashtra region. Therefore, this experiment was conducted to generate comprehensive information about the morphological characteristics of the soils. 

The present investigation was conducted on “Morphological characteristics in representative soil series of Western Maharashtra region” for profile study. The study area is located between 21° 43′00″ N 74°13′00″ E to 15° 52′ 02″ N 74° 09′12″ E ten district of Western Maharashtra. The Western Maharashtra is located between Konkan and Marathwada region of Maharashtra. The entire area of Western Maharashtra is occupied by basaltic lava which is popularly known as deccan trap. The predominant rock formation of an area consisting origin of basalt (deccan trap) and alluvium of basaltic. These basalt contain Feldspars (plagioclase), Augite and small amount of Titaniferrous minerals. Sometimes presence of olivine is noticed. The rocks exhibit spheroidal weathering and round boulders and pebbles are found on the surface in eroded areas. The major crops cultivated are wheat, pearl millet, rice, maize, sugarcane, chickpea, and soybean. The natural vegetation consisting dry deciduous tree species and few grasses. The dominant tree species are Acacia arabica, Azadirchta indica, Zizyphus jujuba, Bambusa spp.  

Total nine representative soil series viz., Thejoda, Kolyachiwadi, Masala, Sonawadi, Ranjani, Jaipur, Valwa, Manjra and Bodla were selected for depthwise soil sample collection and profile study in nine district of Western Maharashtra region viz., Nashik, Ahmednagar, Solapur, Satara, Pune, Jalgaon, Sangli, Kolhapur and Dhule district, respectively, were studied at the original sites where the soil series were first studied as per technical bulletin of soil series of Maharashtra published by National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (Challa et al., 1999). The important morphological features viz., soil colour, soil depth (cm), soil structure, soil texture, soil consistency and effervesces of the soil profile were studied and profile description was recorded (Soil Survey Staff, 2005). 

Morphological characteristics of representative pedons. The morphological characteristics and details of pedons are presented in table 1 and 2, which revealed that the pedons number 1, 2, 3 and 4 classified under Typic, Fluventic, Vertic Haplustept (Inceptisols), The pedons of 6 and 7 were classified under Typic Haplustert (Vertisol), The pedons of 5 and 9 were classified under Lithic and Typic Ustorthent (Entisol) and pedon 8 was classified under Udic Haplustalf (Alfisols). As per soil order different soil series representating pedons differ in their morphological properties with depth in pedons. Clayey texture was observed in Typic/Vertic Inceptisols and Vertisol and clay loam to sandy clay loam in Alfisol and Entisols. Colour of soil ranged from 10YR 3/2 to 6/4 in all the soil profile except 2.5 to 5YR 3/2 to 3/3 in Alfisol and 7.5YR 4/4 in Entisol (pedons). Structure of soil generally subangular at surface of all the pedons and angular blocky structure at subsurface was found in Vertic Inceptisol (pedon 3 and 4) and Vertisol pedons 6 and 7 under study. The consistency of soil under dry condition was hard to very hard in all the pedons except dry slight hard in Alfisols and Entisols of pedon 8 and 9 respectively. The consistency under wet condition was slight to very sticky and plastic to very plastic in all the pedons under study. The effervence was ranged from slight to violent in all the pedons except nil in pedon 8 of Alfisols.

Soil depth. The lowest depth (20 cm) was noticed in Bodla soil series, followed by Ranjni (40 cm) soil series of Entisols. In case of Inceptisols medium to deep depth was found in Masala (70 cm) soil series, followed by Thejoda (90 cm), Kolyachiwadi (105 cm) and Sonawadi (110 cm). Vertisols soil series were very deep 120 cm in Valwa soil series and 145 cm in Jaipur soil series. Bodla and Ranjni soil series was categorized in to very shallow whereas, Masala and Thejoda soil series categorized as medium deep and Kolyachiwadi, Sonawadi, Valwa and Jaipur were categorized in to very deep soil. The shallowness might be due to mass washing (erosion) of weathered material from hill top and escarpment to lower topographic position. Deep soil formed due to deposition of basaltic material and in situ development in case of Vertisols and vertic Inceptisols. The depth variation in soil solum also the association of characteristics in relation to variability reflects the geographic position. Silmilar observations were also reported for Indian Entisols, Inceptisols and Vertisols (Bhattacharjee et al., 1977; Bhattachayya et al., 1992, Gajbhiye and Deshmukh 1992; Challa, 1995). Gangopadhyay et al. (2001) studied that the Inceptisols and Vertisols soils of Tripura were deep to very deep.

Soil colour. The surface and subsurface colour of Entisols was brown (7.5 YR 4/4 D), dark brown (7.5 YR 3/4 M) in case of Bodla soil series and brown (10 YR 4/3 D), dark brown (10 YR 3/3 D) in case of Ranjni soil series of Entisols. The  Entisols were dark brown in colour  Bhattacharyya et al. (1992) studied the Entisols (Lithic Ustorthents) pedon of pune district, Maharashtra and reported that the surface horizon were reddish colour (10 YR 4/4) to reddish brown (7.5 YR 4/4) in colour.

The colour of Inceptisols ranged from brown (10 YR 4/3 D), dark brown (10 YR 3/3 M) in case of Thejoda and Kolyachiwadi soil series profile, dark grayish brown (10 YR 4/3 D), dark brown (10 YR 3/3 M), very dark grayish brown (10 YR 3/2 M) in Masala soil series profile and dark brown (10 YR 3/3 D), dark brown (7.5 YR 3/2 M) in Sonawadi soil series profile. The Inceptisols were dark brown in colour. Bhattacharyya et al. (1992) studied the Inceptisols pedons of Pune district of Maharashtra and reported that the Inceptisols had hue 10 YR, value around 4/3 and chroma 4 or less.

In case of Vertisols surface and subsurface colour of soil profile was dark brown (10 YR 3/3 D), very dark grayish brown (10 YR 3/2 M) in Jaipur soil series and very dark grayish brown (10 YR 3/2 M) in Valwa soil series. The Vertisols were very dark brown in colour. Sowjanya et al. (2023) studied the pedons of deccan plateau of Nagpur district of Maharashtra and indicated Vertisols had hue 10 YR, value around 3 and chroma varies 1 to 3. 

Soil structure. The structure of Entisols soil series are moderately weak subangular blocky in case of Bodla and Ranjni soil series. Mostly Inceptisols showed medium subangular blocky structure at surface horizon and weak subangular blocky structure at subsurface horizon. Vertisols also showed the same result as Inceptisols in Valwa soil series except Jaipur soil series, it showed medium sub angular blocky structure at surface horizon and coarse moderate angular blocky structure at subsurface horizon. In case of Alfisols showed fine weak granular structure in Bodla soil series also reported by Patil and Mukhopadhyay (2010); Rajesh et al. (2023).     

Soil texture. The soil texture of all Vertisols series (Valwa and Jaipur) had clay texture throughout the soil profile. Manjra soil series of Alfisols showed clay loam texture. Shallow soil series of Entisols soil series (Bodla and Ranjani) showed clay loam texture, sandy clay loam and gravely sandy loam texture, respectively. Inceptisols soil series showed clay texture throughout the profile in Thejoda, Masala and Sonawadi soil series except Kolyachiwadi soil series showed gravely sandy clay loam and gravely clay loam texture. The soil texture of Alfisols soil series had clay loam. Clay nature of Vertisols and Inceptisols soil series could be    due to pedogenic development of basaltic alluvium weathering.

Soil consistence. The soil consistency under dry condition was hard to very hard in all the soil series except dry slight hard in soil series of Alfisols and Entisols of pedon 8 and 9, respectively. The consistency under wet condition was slight to very sticky and plastic to very plastic in all the soil pedon under study.

Effervescence. The effervenscece was ranged from slight to violent in all the pedon except trace in pedon 8 of Alfisols soil series.

Table 1: Morphological properties of representative soil profiles of Western Maharashtra region.

Symbols are used according to Soil Survey Manual (Soil Survey Staff, 1995)

Table 2: Details of representative soil profiles of Western Maharashtra region.

This research helpful for to classify soils, behavior prediction of soil, study their relationship to crop production and productivity. This information can help with land management and agriculture and also for future planning of researchers.