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BD5

BD5 landscape
Red volcanic soils

    Site Code
BD5


BD5 profile
Melanic, Eutrophic, Red Ferrosol
    Location
Dunnstown
    Landform
Gently undulating rises
    Geology
Quaternary basalt
    Element
Hillcrest
    Slope
3-6%
Horizon
Depth (cm)
Description

A1

0–45

Dark reddish brown (5YR2.5/2); loam; strong structure;
friable; pH 6.0; diffuse boundary to:

B2


45–90+


Dark reddish brown (5YR3/3); clay loam; strong structure; friable; pH 7.0.

Management considerations

This soil is suitable for growing almost any temperate crop, given adequate water, but in the district is used for growing cereals, oil seeds, peas, potatoes, fodder crops, pastures and lucerne. Several successive crops can be grown with little deterioration in soil structure or fertility, but eventually a period under pasture is necessary to restore structure.


The good physical structure makes this soil ideal for irrigation and the good drainage results in excellent winter growth of crops and pastures. However, this soil does dry out rather more quickly than grey soils and, as a result, spring growth finishes a little earlier than on grey soils. Because of this, some perennial pasture species (especially white clover and perennial ryegrass) may not persist well without irrigation. Subterranean clover and lucerne grow excellently on this soil.
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