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LP69

Group: Oakvale Farm Advance GroupAustralian Soil Classification: Epicalcareous-Endohypersodic, Epipedal Grey VERTOSOL
Northcote Factual Key: Ug3.2/Ug5.2Great Soil Group: grey clay
General Landscape Description: Level plain which originally displayed gilgai (i.e. "crabholey") microrelief. Original vegetation included Black Box (Eucalyptus largiflorens) and lignum bush (Muehlenbeckia cunninghamii). Sandstone (fossiliferous) occurs some 10 metres below the surface.

Photo: Site LP69 Landscape
LP69 Landscape


Soil Profile Morphology

Surface Soil


A10-10 cmDark brown (7.5YR4/2); light medium clay; cracking surface condition; moderate blocky structure; firm consistence dry; pH 8.0; abrupt change to:
Photo: Site LP69 Soil Profile
LP69 Profile
NOTE: A discontinuous bleached fine sandy clay loam A2 horizon occurs in patches.
B2110-40 cmDark brown (7.5YR4/2); medium heavy clay; moderate very coarse prismatic, parting to moderate coarse blocky structure; very strong consistence dry; contains a few (2%) carbonate nodules (2-3 mm diameter); pH 9.2; gradual change to:
B2240-100 cmDark brown (7.5YR4/2); medium heavy clay; moderate coarse blocky structure; very strong consistence; contains a few (2-5%) amount of carbonate nodules (2-10 mm diameter); slickensides present at depth; pH 9.3; clear change to:
B23100+ cmYellowish red (5YR5/6) and reddish brown (5YR5/3); medium heavy clay; very strong consistence dry; contains a few (2-5%) carbonate nodules (2-10 mm diameter); many slickensides present as well as bands of sand throughout the horizon; pH 9.3.


Note: The soil is likely to vary across the paddock in response to the gilgai microrelief. Amounts of carbonate and salts are usually higher in the gilgai mounds than in the depressions.


Key Profile Features
  • High clay content throughout soil profile.
  • Vertic properties (i.e. slickensides, cracking)

Soil Profile Characteristics

pH
Salinity Rating
Surface
(A1 horizon)
moderately alkaline
very low
non-sodic
none1
Subsoil
(25-45 horizon)
very strongly alkaline
low
sodic
none2
Deeper subsoil
(1 m)
very strongly alkaline
low-medium
strongly sodic
slight
1 Dispersion occurs after remoulding. 2 Strong dispersion with remoulding.

Photo: Site LP69 graphs

Horizon
Horizon Depth
pH (water)
pH CaCl2
EC 1:5
NaCl
Exchangeable Cations
Ca
Mg
K
Na
meq/100g
A1
0-10
8
7.3
0.12
15
7.2
2.2
0.5
B21
10-40
9.2
8.1
0.21
15
10
0.9
3.2
B22
40-60
9.3
8.2
0.33
<0.05
12
10
1
5
B22
80-100
9.1
8.2
0.54
0.06
11
9.2
1.3
6.3
B23
100+
9.3
8.4
0.63
0.07
8.3
10
1.5
7.3

Horizon
Horizon Depth
Field Capacity
pF2.5
Wilting Point
pF4.2
Coarse Sand
(0.2-2.0mm)
Fine Sand
(0.02-0.2mm)
Silt
(0.002-0.02mm)
Clay
(<0.002mm)
A1
0-10
31.8
19.4
5
34
12
45
B21
10-40
39.4
25.6
3
22
8
56
B22
40-60
B22
80-100
B23
100+

Comments from Landholder:
  • Soil is representative of plains.
  • Crops yield up to average two tonnes per acre.
  • Gypsum has not been used. Stubble retention is practised.

Notes
  • Profile described by Mark Imhof, Paul Rampant and Sonia Thompson (25/5/95).
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