Which of the following statements about the Black Soils of India is/are correct ? 1. Black Soils cover most of the Deccan Plateau. 2. Also known as 'Regur', they are generally clayey, deep and impermeable. 3. Since they are impermeable, rainfed crops do not grow well in Black Soils.

Black soils, formed mainly from the Deccan basalt traps, cover most of the Deccan Plateau across Maharashtra, parts of MP, Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh — statement 1 is correct. They are locally called 'Regur', are rich in clay (montmorillonite), deep, and have high moisture-retention with low permeability — statement 2 is correct. Their high moisture-retentive capacity actually makes them ideal for rainfed crops like cotton, jowar and pulses (cotton soil); hence statement 3 is incorrect. Therefore only statements 1 and 2 are correct.