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Site NE34

Property: Rutherglen Research Institute.
Paddock #: E

Australian Soil Classification: Ferric, Eutrophic, Grey CHROMOSOL.
Northcote Factual Key: Dy 3.4

Photo: NE34 Landscape
Site NE34 Landscape


Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

Photo: NE34 Profile
Site NE34 Profile
A10-15 cmPale brown (10YR6/3); silty clay loam; weak coarse blocky structure; some rusty root channel mottling present; pH 4.7; sharp change to:

A2115-25 cmLight yellowish brown (10YR6/4) conspicuously bleached (10YR8/2d); silty loam; contains many (20 - 30%) ferromanganiferous nodules; pH 5.2:

A2225-40 cmLight yellowish brown (10YR6/4) conspicuously bleached (10YR8/2d); silty clay loam; weak coarse blocky structure; contains a few (5 -10%) ferromanganiferous nodules; pH 6.0; sharp and wavy change to:

Subsoil

B2140-60 cmPale brown (10YR6/3) with strong brown (7.5YR5/6) and dark red (2/5YR4/8) mottles; medium clay; strong coarse blocky structure; pH 5.6.

Key Profile Features:
  • Conspicuously bleached subsurface (A2) horizon.
  • Strong texture contrast between surface (A) horizons (< 23% clay) and subsoil (B21) horizon (50 % clay).

Soil Profile Characteristics:
Graph: pH in Site NE34


The surface (A1) horizon is very strongly acid. The subsurface (A2) horizons are strongly acid, becoming moderately acid. The upper subsoil is moderately acid.



Graph: Sodicity in Site NE34



The upper soil profile is non-sodic throughout.
Graph: Salinity in Site NE34



Soluble salt levels are very low throughout the profile.
Graph: Clay% in Site NE34



The clay percentage increases significantly at the A/B horizon interface.


Horizon
Horizon Depth
(cm)
pH
(water)
pH
(CaCl2)
EC 1:5
Exchangeable Cations
Exchangeable
Aluminium
mg/kg
Field Capacity pF 2.5
Wilting Point
pF 4.2
Coarse Sand (0.2 - 2.0 mm)
Fine Sand
(0.02 -0.2 mm)
Silt
(0.002 -0.02 mm)
Clay
(<0.002 mm)
Ca
Mg
K
Na
meq/100g
A1
0-15
4.7
4.1
<0.05
1.2
0.23
0.16
<0.05
94
22.6
5.6
1.7
45.3
37.0
18.0
B21
15-25
5.2
4.4
<0.05
0.79
0.17
0.11
<0.05
23
3.7
48.5
38.0
13.0
B22
25-40
6.0
5.0
<0.05
2.2
0.93
0.14
<0.05

1.3
46.7
34.5
22.5
B23
40-60
5.6
4.7
<0.05
5.9
4.8
0.43
0.22

0.8
30.2
21.0
51.0

Management Considerations:


Surface (A) Horizons
  • The surface soil has a very high fine sand and silt content (i.e. 82 %). Organic matter is therefore important for maintaining soil aggregation.
  • The strongly acid surface soil indicates that aluminium and manganese toxicity may occur. The level of exchangeable aluminium measured in the laboratory (94 mg/kg) may result in some restriction to the growth of highly aluminium sensitive species e.g. lucerne, phalaris, barley and some wheat varieties. Raising the pH level of the surface soil will help reduce aluminium toxicity. A pH/aluminium test on a bulked sample taken from across the paddock would be most appropriate to determine how much lime is needed to raise pH levels.
  • Deficiencies in molybdenum, calcium and potassium may also occur in strongly acid soil.
Subsoil (B) Horizons
  • The upper subsoil is non-sodic.
Profile Described By: Mark Imhof, Paul Rampant (20/11/95).
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