RED LATOSOLS OF SRI-LANKA .1. MACRO-MORPHOLOGICAL, PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL PROPERTIES, GENESIS, AND CLASSIFICATION

The Red Latosols of Sri Lanka have developed on the Quaternary Red Earth Formation into very deep, excessively drained soils with weak horizon differentiation. The three major soil series of this subgroup, the Gambura, Mullaitivu and Wilpattu series, were studied from the point of view of their morphological properties, particle size distribution, bulk density, 1/3 and 15 bar moisture, pH, organic carbon, total nitrogen, CEC, exchangeable cations and free Fe and Al oxides by means of representative pedons for purposes of characterization and determination of the genetic processes.