Q. The soils that cannot retain moisture and are infertile are the:

[A] Desert sands

[B] Alluvial soils

[C] Laterites

[D] Black cotton soils

Answer: A
Notes:

Explanation: Desert Sands:
Desert soils form in areas where the demand for water by the atmosphere (evaporation) and plants (transpiration) is much greater than precipitation. Deserts cover 20 to 33% of the Earth’s land surface and can be found in the tropics, at the poles, and in between.
It has a low content of nitrogen and organic matter with very high calcium carbonate and phosphate, thus making it infertile. It thus is susceptible to wind erosion and supports a low density of population. Kankar or impure Calcium carbonate content is high which restricts the infiltration of water.
Sources: NCERT

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