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TOPCROP3

Location: Antwerp

Australian Soil Classification: Sodic, Hypercalcic, Brown DERMOSOL

General Landscape Description: Gently undulating plain.
Site Description: Cropping Paddock.
Geology: Quaternary deposits (Woorinen Formation).
Native Vegetation: Yellow Gum.

Image: TOPCROP3 landscape

TOPCROP3 Landscape - pit in foreground. In the background there is a rises landscape unit.

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

Ap0-12 cmDark reddish brown (5YR3/2); sandy clay loam; weakly structured; weak to firm consistence dry; pH 7.4:
    Image: TOPCROP3 profile
    TOPCROP3 Profile
Subsoil
B2112-25 cmDark reddish brown (5YR3/4) with reddish yellow (5YR6/8) mottles common; light clay; weak very coarse blocky, parting to weak coarse blocky structure; very firm consistence dry; pH 8.2:
B2225-60 cmStrong brown (7.5YR5/6); light clay; weakly structured; earthy fabric; very firm consistence dry; few (10%) soft calcareous segregations and hard calcareous/silica nodules (3-15 mm); highly calcareous; very many macropores; pH 8.5:
B23k60-100 cmReddish yellow (5YR6/6); light medium clay; weakly structured; very firm consistence dry; many (30%) soft calcareous and few (5%) hard calcareous nodules; moderately calcareous; pH 9.2:
B24100-130 cmReddish yellow (5YR6/6) with light yellowish brown (10YR6/4) mottles; medium heavy clay; strong very coarse prismatic, parting to moderate fine blocky structure; strong consistence dry; few (10%) soft calcareous segregations as well as manganese flecks; pH 9.7:

Key Profile Features:

  • Strong texture contrast between surface (A) horizons and subsoil (B21) horizon.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

pH
Salinity Rating
Surface
(A1 horizon)
Slightly Alkaline
Low
Non-Sodic
None1
Subsoil
(B21 horizon)
Moderately Alkaline
Low
Non-Sodic
None
Deeper Subsoil
(at 60-100 cm)
Very Strongly Alkaline
Low
Sodic
Moderate
1 Slight dispersion after remoulding.

Image: TOPCROP3 graphs
The surface is slightly alkaline. The subsoil is moderately alkaline becoming very strongly alkaline with depth.The profile has a low salinity rating throughout.The surface is non sodic. The upper subsoil is non sodic becoming sodic with depth.Boron levels are quite low throughout the profile.Clay content increases with depth.

Chemical and Physical Analysis:

Horizon
Horizon
Depth
(cm)
pH
(water)
pH
(CaCl2)
EC
dS/m
NaCl
%



Organic Carbon
%
Nitrogen
%
Boron
mg/kg
Exchangeable Cations
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)
Ca
Mg
K
Na
Meq/100g
Ap
0-12
7.4
7.0
0.20
1.7
0.14
1.1
16
2.4
1.5
0.29
22.7
9.9
37
29
11
19
B21
12-25
8.2
7.7
0.19
0.94
0.07
1.4
28
3.9
1.0
0.30
27.3
15.0
26
26
11
33
B22
25-60
8.5
7.9
0.23
1.3
31
4.2
0.55
0.27
30.6
15.8
20
21
8
27
B23k
60-100
9.2
8.3
0.29
<0.01
7.4
8.0
0.9
2.3
17
17
3
35
B24
100-130
9.7
9.0
0.53
<0.01
3.9
13
1.6
6.9

Management Considerations:

  • In general, management strategies for all soils should aim to increase organic matter levels in the surface soil; minimise the degradation of soil aggregates and porosity; promote the development of stable biopores; improve the calcium status of the ion exchange complex (particularly when sodium is a significant part), and break up any hardpans. Less frequent tillage; using less aggressive implements, and working the soil at optimum moisture conditions can all assist in maintaining soil aggregation and porosity as well as reducing the breakdown of organic matter.
  • The deeper subsoil (from 60 cm depth) becomes extremely alkaline. This indicates that phosphorus and some trace elements such as iron, manganese, zinc and copper may be poorly available to plants and deficiencies may occur. Deficiencies can be determined by plant tissue analysis.
  • The deeper subsoil (from 60 cm depth) becomes strongly sodic and dispersive. This will result in restricted root and water movement in the deeper subsoil.
Profile Described By: Mark Imhof and Brooke Thompson (December 2002)
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