Site WW26

Location: Edenhope

Australian Soil Classification: Bleached-Ferric, Yellow KUROSOL (very thick sandy surface soil).

General Landscape Description: This soil occurs in the upper slope of the landscape and represents the sandier soils south of the Little Desert. The vegetation, consisting mainly of Stringybarks, Tea Tree, Grass Trees and Heath understorey, is very indicative of the soil type. There is a deep deposit of wind blown material over the clay. This description is taken from a roadside cutting so therefore the surface soil is disturbed.

WW26 Landscape

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

Ap	0-10 cm	Disturbed horizon:	Site WW26 Profile
A1	10-30 cm	Greyish brown (2.5Y5/2) sand (organic); weak to massive structure; weak consistence when dry; pH 5.7:
A2	30-75 cm	Light yellowish brown (2.5Y6/3) sand; conspicuously bleached; few faint orange and brown mottles; structureless; weak consistence when dry; pH 5.2:
Subsoil
Bs	75-90 cm	Brownish yellow (10YR6/6) sand; distinct orange mottles are common; ferruginised iron and indurated (hardened) sandstone are abundant; pH 5.5:
B2	90-130 cm	Brownish yellow (10YR6/6) light medium clay; many prominent coarse red and orange mottles are common; strong polyhedral structure (peds 5-10 mm parting to 2-5 mm); clay skins on the ped faces; pH 5.5:
B3	130+ cm	Partially weathered sandstone and clay; very coarse red, prominent mottles are abundant; clay skins on ped faces. Note: Grades to BC horizon.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

	pH	Salinity	Sodicity	Dispersion	Internal Drainage	Hydro-phobicity
Surface (A1 horizon)	moderately acid	very low	-	-	-	severe
Subsoil (B21 horizon)	strongly acid	very low	-	nil	imperfectly drained¹	-

¹ Most impeding horizon of the profile that will affect plant growth.

Key Profile Features:

Deep sandy surface soil.
Hydrophobic surface soil.
Acidic surface soil.
Bleached A2 horizon.
Strong texture contrast between surface soil and subsoil.
Mottled subsoil.
Ferric ‘ironstone’ pan.
Acidic subsoil.
Weathered sandstone occurring at depth.

Soil Restrictions and Management Prescriptions:

Feature	Result	Management Prescription
Deep sandy profile.	Poor plant available water holding capacity. Poor nutrient holding capacity. Increased risk of wind erosion. Potential for hydrophobicity.	Dryland cropping. Grow appropriate species (eg drought tolerant species), minimum tillage and stubble retention, improve organic matter through maintenance of vegetative cover and growing green manure crops. Establish wind protection barriers. Horticulture. Grow appropriate species. Improve organic matter through maintenance of vegetative cover and growing green manure crops. Establish wind protection barriers. Increase frequency of fertiliser (e.g. side dressings) and irrigations.
Sandy surface soil.	Poor plant available water holding capacity. Poor nutrient holding capacity. Increased risk of wind erosion. Potential for hydrophobicity.	Dryland cropping. Minimum tillage and stubble retention, improve organic matter through maintenance of vegetative cover and growing green manure crops. Establish wind protection barriers. Horticulture. Improve organic matter through maintenance of vegetative cover and growing green manure crops. Establish wind protection barriers. Increase frequency of fertiliser (e.g. side dressings) and irrigations.
Hydrophobic surface soil.	Poor infiltration of water into the soil. Increased risk of water erosion. Poor seed germination.	Maintenance of surface vegetative cover. Claying (application of subsoil clay from other areas directly to the soil surface).
Acidic surface soil.	Potential nutrient imbalance. Unsuitable for acid intolerant plants.	Apply lime.
Strong textural contrast between surface soil and subsoil (duplex).	Strong texture and structure difference between the surface soil and the subsoil, can result in impeded internal drainage and restricted root growth.	Improve organic matter through maintenance of vegetative cover and growing green manure crops. Reduce tillage. Mounding for orchards. Bed formation for vegetables. Optimise plant growth through regular balanced fertiliser program. Consider sub-surface drainage (if appropriate).
Bleached A2 horizon.	Indication of waterlogged condition (impeded internal drainage) within the surface soil. Poor soil structure (often massive). Low organic matter, water holding capacity and nutrition within the horizon.	Dryland cropping. Include deep rooted crops in the rotation, minimum tillage and stubble retention. Apply gypsum if the surface soil is responsive to gypsum. Optimise plant growth through a regular and balanced fertiliser program. Horticulture. Improve organic matter through maintaining optimum plant growth and growing green manure crops between the rows. Minimum tillage and surface vegetative cover. Apply gypsum if the surface soil is responsive to gypsum. Optimise plant growth through a regular and balanced fertiliser program. Install subsoil drainage (if appropriate).
Mottled subsoil.	Indication of periodic waterlogging, particularly if grey and yellow mottles predominate.	Consider sub-surface drainage (if appropriate). Apply gypsum if subsoil is sodic and close to the surface.
Ferric pan.	Restricted root penetration into the subsoil. Indication of period waterlogging.	Select shallow rooted species. Improve surface soil by increasing organic matter and nutrition. Ripping may assist if pan is continuous and close to the surface, include gypsum if subsoil is sodic and close to the surface soil. Consider subsoil drainage (if appropriate).
Acidic subsoil.	Potential nutrient imbalance. Unsuitable for acid intolerant plants.	Grow acid tolerant species or varieties.

Land Suitability Rating Table:

LAND USE	SUITABILITY CLASS	MAJOR LIMITING COMPONENT
Wheat	2	Climate, landscape, soil
Canola	2	Climate, landscape, soil
Chickpeas	3	Climate, soil
Lentils	3	Climate, soil
White clover seed	2	Climate, landscape, soil
Lucerne for seed production	3	Soil
Viticulture	3	Soil
Apples	2	Climate, soil
Potatoes	2	Climate, landscape, soil
Carrots	2	Landscape, soil
Onions	2	Climate, landscape, soil
Sweet corn	3	Soil
Radiata Pine	2	Climate, landscape, soil
Blue Gum	2	Climate, landscape, soil

Land Suitability Assessment and Primary Limitations

Wheat	Climate	2*	Moderate to high frost risk, moderate to high rainfall.
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	2	Slightly impeded internal drainage, hydrophobicity
Canola	Climate	2#	Moderate to high frost risk, slightly high rainfall.
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	2	Slightly impeded internal drainage, hydrophobicity, slightly acid subsoil pH.
Chickpeas	Climate	3	High rainfall.
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	3	Sandy surface soil, impeded internal drainage.
Lentils	Climate	3	High rainfall.
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	3	Sandy surface soil, impeded internal drainage.
White clover seed	Climate	2+	Moderate to high rainfall, moderate frost risk.
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	2	Slightly impeded internal drainage, hydrophobicity.
Lucerne for seed production	Climate	2	Moderate frost risk.
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	3	Impeded internal drainage.
Viticulture	Climate	2#	Moderate to high frost risk.
	Landscape	1	No major limitation.
	Soil	3	Impeded soil drainage.
Apples	Climate	2#	Moderate to high frost risk, slightly high mean maximum January temperature.
	Landscape	1	No major limitation.
	Soil	2	Slightly acid subsoil pH, slightly impeded internal drainage, hydrophobicity.
Potatoes	Climate	2	Slightly high mean maximum January temperature.
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	2	Slightly impeded internal drainage, hydrophobicity.
Carrots	Climate	1	No major limitation.
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	2	Slightly impeded internal drainage, hydrophobicity.
Onions	Climate	2	Moderate frost risk.
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	2	Slightly impeded internal drainage, hydrophobicity, sandy surface soil texture.
Sweet corn	Climate	2	Slightly low mean monthly temperature (October - March).
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	3	Sandy surface soil.
Radiata Pine	Climate	2**	Moderate to low rainfall, slightly high mean maximum January temperature.
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	2	Slightly impeded internal drainage, hydrophobicity.
Blue Gum	Climate	2**	Moderate to low rainfall, slightly high mean maximum January temperature.
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	2	Slightly impeded internal drainage, hydrophobicity.

* Some areas may be higher frost risk and rainfall.
# Some areas may be higher frost risk .
+ Some areas may have higher rainfall.
** Some areas may have lower rainfall.

Profile Described By: David Rees, Nathalie Baxter (January 1997).

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