Location: Macalister Research Farm. | Australian Soil Classification: Hypocalcic, Mesonatric, Red SODOSOL. |
Geology: Quaternary prior stream deposits. | General Landscape Description: Level plain. |
Soil Mapping Unit: Sale. | Site Description: Irrigated dairy grazing paddock. Laser graded six years ago. |
GP29 Landscape |
Surface Soil | GP29 Profile | ||
A1 | 0-15 cm | Brown (7.5YR4/2); fine sandy loam; firm consistence dry; compacted layer; pH 5.6; sharp change to: | |
Subsoil | |||
B21 | 15-45 cm | Yellowish red (5YR4/6) with dark stains along root channels; light clay; moderate to strong coarse blocky, parting to moderate medium blocky structure (shiny faced peds); strong consistence dry; contains very few (<2%) carbonate and silica nodules (5 cm in size); pH 8.8: | |
B22 | 45-80 cm | Yellowish red (5YR4/6) with dark stains along root channels; fine sandy light clay;weakly structured; contains very few (<2%) carbonate and silica nodules (5 cm in size); many pore spaces; pH 8.9: | |
B23 | 80 -110 cm | Reddish brown (5YR5/4); fine sandy light clay; weak structure; contains very few (<2%) carbonate and silica nodules (5 cm in size); many pore spaces; pH 8.9: | |
B24 | 110+ cm | Reddish brown (5YR5/4); fine sandy light clay; weak to moderate prismatic structure; contains a few (5%) carbonate and silica nodules (5-10 cm in size); pH 9.0. |
Horizon | pH | Salinity Rating | ||
Surface (A1 horizon) | moderately acid | low | sodic | none 1 |
Subsoil (B21 horizon) | strongly alkaline | medium | strongly sodic | moderate |
Deeper subsoil (at 90 cm) | strongly alkaline | high | strongly sodic | moderate 2 |
The surface soil is mod-erately acid. The subsoil is strongly alkaline throughout | The surface has a low salinity rating. The subsoil has a moderate rating; becoming high at 1 metre. | The surface soil is sodic, while the subsoil is strongly sodic throughout . | There is a sharp increase in clay content at the A/B horizon interface. |
Horizon | Horizon Depth (cm) | pH (water) | pH (CaCl2) | EC dS/m | NaCl | Exchangeable Cations | |||
Ca | Mg | K | Na | ||||||
meq/100g | |||||||||
A1 | 0-15 | 5.6 | 4.9 | 0.13 | 1.6 | 1.3 | 0.33 | 0.33 | |
B21 | 15-45 | 8.8 | 8.1 | 0.42 | 0.05 | 3.4 | 6.3 | 0.2 | 2.6 |
B22 | 45-80 | 8.9 | 8.2 | 0.52 | 0.11 | 2.5 | 5 | 0.2 | 2.6 |
B23 | 80-110 | 8.9 | 8.2 | 0.65 | 0.14 | 2.2 | 5 | 0.2 | 2.8 |
B24 | 110+ | 9 | 8.2 | 0.56 | 0.12 | 2 | 4.9 | 0.2 | 2.9 |
Horizon | Horizon Depth (cm) | Exchangeable Aluminium mg/kg | Exchangeable Acidity meq/100g | Field Capacity pF2.5 | Wilting Point pF4.2 | Coarse Sand (0.2-2.0 mm) | Fine Sand (0.02-0.2 mm) | Silt (0.002-0.02 mm) | Clay (<0.002 mm) |
A1 | 0-15 | 10 | 6.3 | 23 | 5 | 2 | 57 | 26 | 14 |
B21 | 15-45 | 30 | 17 | 0 | 32 | 29 | 38 | ||
B22 | 45-80 | 30 | 12 | 0 | 36 | 24 | 31 | ||
B23 | 80-110 | 30 | 11 | 0 | 31 | 41 | 30 | ||
B24 | 110+ | 31 | 12 | 1 | 24 | 45 | 32 |