Property: Rutherglen Research Institute | Paddock #: PTD 2 (native grass) |
Aust. Soil Class.: Vertic (and Hypocalcic), Mottled-Subnatric, Grey SODOSOL | Northcote Factual Key: Dy 3.43 |
Great Soil Group: solodic | |
Map Unit: Unit 2 (a gilgai complex of four soil types: Rutherglen loam (deep and normal phases), Lilliput loam, and Types D and E). | |
General Landscape Description: This site occurs in a paddock which has never been cultivated. Well developed gilgai microrelief is present. This soil occurs on the edge of the depression component of the gilgai microrelief and is similar to Lilliput loam [as described by Poutsma and Skene (1961)]. Wallaby Grass (Danthonia sp) commonly grows in the gilgai hollows. |
Soil Profile Morphology:
A1 | 0-20 cm | Brown (10YR4/3); fine sandy clay loam; firm consistence dry; rusty root channel mottling present; pH 5.8; abrupt change to: | NE37a Profile |
A2 | 20-25 cm | Very pale brown (10YR7/3) conspicuously bleached; fine sandy clay loam; contains a few (5%) ferruginous and manganiferous nodules (5-10 mm size); pH 6.6; sharp change to: | |
Subsoil | |||
B21 | 25-70 cm | Light brownish grey (10YR6/2) with yellowish brown (10YR5/8) mottles; heavy clay; deep cracks evident; moderate very coarse prismatic structure (slickensides present at 50 cm); bleached material from above present along ped faces; rigid consistence dry; pH 6.7; gradual change to: | |
B22 | 70-110 cm | Light olive brown (2.5Y6/4) heavy clay; coarsely structured; large slickensides present; contains very few (2%) ferromanganiferous nodules; clear change to: | |
B23 | 110-140 cm | Light olive brown (2.5Y5/4); heavy clay; slickensides present; contains a trace (< 2%) amount of carbonate-silica nodules (2-10 mm size) and a few (5-10%) ferromanganiferous nodules (2-5 mm size), slickensides present; pH 8.8. |
Key Profile Features:
The surface soil is moderately acid. The upper subsoil is slightly acid and the deeper subsoil is strongly alkaline. | The salinity rating is very low throughout the upper metre of the soil profile. It becomes low-medium below 1 metre depth. | ||
The upper subsoil is sodic. The deeper subsoil is strongly sodic. Strong to complete dispersion occurs throughout the subsoil. | The clay % increases significantly at the A/B horizon interface. |
Management Considerations:
Whole Profile