Site WW75

Location: Poolaijelo

Australian Soil Classification: Aeric PODOSOL
Great Soil Group: podzol

General Landscape Description: This soil profile occurs on the lower slope and is typical of the sandier soils south of the Little Desert. It occurs in association with WW26 which is regarded as more typical of the dominant soil types in this landscape.

Native Vegetation: The vegetation consists of Brown Stringybark and Heath species - typical of the sandier soils.

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A1	0-65 cm	Structureless organic sand; pH 5.3; gradual to diffuse transition to:
A2	65-90 cm	Grey (10YR6/1) sand; structureless; bleached when dry; pH 5.9; clear to abrupt transition to:
Subsoil
Bhs	90-115 cm	Dark grey (10YR4/1) ‘coffee rock’; with organic, aluminium and iron compounds and a few ferruginised iron nodules; pH 5.7:
B21	115-135 cm	Yellowish brown (10YR5/8) light clay (fine sandy); very pale brown mottles are abundant; pH 6.4:
B22	135-150 cm	Yellowish brown (10YR5/8) light clay (fine sandy); with pale mottles; pH 6.5:
B3	150 cm +	Weathered white and yellow Kaolinitic clay.

	pH	Salinity	Sodicity	Dispersion	Internal Drainage	Hydro- phobicity
Surface (A1 horizon)	moderately acid	low	-	-	moderately well drained	severe
Subsoil (B21 horizon)	slightly acid	low	-	-	-	-
Deeper subsoil	moderately acid	-	-	complete	-	-

Key Profile Features:

Deep sandy surface soil.
Hydrophobic surface soil.
Acidic surface soil.
Bleached A2 horizon.
Deep sand over clay.
Coffee Rock (Bhs) horizon.
Weathered Kaolinitic clay 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.	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 (eg 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 soil surface).
Acidic surface soil.	Potential nutrient imbalance. Unsuitable for acid intolerant plants.	Apply lime.
Bleached A2 horizon.	Indication of waterlogged conditions (impeded internal drainage) within the surface soil. Poor soil structure (often massive). Low organic matter, water holding capacity and nutrition within the horizon. Potential nutrient imbalance.	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.

Land Suitability Rating Table:

LAND USE	SUITABILITY CLASS	MAJOR LIMITING COMPONENT
Wheat	3	Soil
Canola	3	Soil
Chickpeas	3	Climate, soil
Lentils	3	Climate, soil
White clover seed	2	Climate, landscape, soil
Lucerne for seed production	2	Climate, landscape, soil
Viticulture	3	Soil
Apples	3	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	3	Deep sand profile.
Canola	Climate	2#	Moderate to high frost risk, slightly high rainfall.
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	3	Deep sand profile.
Chickpeas	Climate	3	High rainfall.
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	3	Sandy surface soil.
Lentils	Climate	3	High rainfall.
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	3	Sandy surface soil.
White clover seed	Climate	2+	Moderate to high rainfall, moderate frost risk.
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	2	Hydrophobicity.
Lucerne for seed production	Climate	2	Moderate frost risk.
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	2+	Slightly impeded internal drainage, hydrophobicity.
Viticulture	Climate	2#	Moderate to high frost risk.
	Landscape	1	No major limitation.
	Soil	3	Deep sand profile.
Apples	Climate	2#	Moderate to high frost risk, slightly high mean maximum January temperature.
	Landscape	1	No major limitation.
	Soil	3	Deep sand profile.
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	Sandy surface soil texture, slightly impeded internal drainage, hydrophobicity.
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 monthly January temperature.
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	2++	Depth to bedrock, hydrophobicity
Blue Gum	Climate	2**	Moderate to low rainfall, slightly high mean monthly January temperature.
	Landscape	2	Wind erosion hazard.
	Soil	2++	Depth to bedrock, 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.
++ Root growth will be restricted where coffee rock occurs within 60 cm of the surface.

Profile Described By: David Rees, Nathalie Baxter (09/01/97).

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