Erodibility of three well defined series of laterite soils in Kerala under simulated rainfall conditions

The present study was undertaken to determine the erodibility of the three well-defined series of laterite soils, viz, Mannamkulam series, Naduvattom series and Vellanikkara series under various simulated rainfall intensities and land slopes. The results of the study showed that soil loss and runoff increased with increased rainfall intensity for all the slopes in all the selected soil types. When compared to Vellanikkara series and Mannamkulam series, the soil loss from Naduvattom series was low. The nature of the curves obtained for the three series of soils for all the slopes studied were similar. A general trend of increase in soil loss and runoff with slope was also observed in all the three series of soils studied.