Property: Rutherglen Research Institute.
Paddock Number: 31
Australian Soil Classification: Haplic, Eutrophic, Red CHROMOSOL (slightly gravelly) / Vertic Yellow Sodosol
Northcote Factual Key: Dr 2.23
Great Soil Group: no suitable group.
General Landscape Description: Lower midslope (3% slope) of hill, composed of Ordovician sediments.
Soil Mapping Unit: Type G.
Site NE44 Landscape |
A1 | 0-10 cm | Dark brown (7.5YR3/4); fine sandy clay loam; hardsetting; weak coarse blocky, parting to weak medium blocky structure; firm consistence dry; pH 6.1; clear change to: | Site NE44 Profile |
A2 | 10-20 cm | Yellow red (5YR4/6); fine sandy clay loam; structureless; strong consistence dry; pH 5.2; abrupt change to: | |
Subsoil | |||
B21 | 20-40 cm | Dark red (2.5YR4/8); medium clay; moderate coarse polyhedral, parting to moderate medium polyhedral strucure; very firm consistence dry; contains a few (2%) ferruginous nodules (2-5 mm size) and a common (10%) amount of quartz gravel (2-5 mm size); pH 6.0; clear change to: | |
B22 | 40-60 cm | Strong brown (7.5YR5/8) with red (2.5YR4/6) mottles; light medium clay; moderate coarse polyhedral, parting to moderate medium polyhedral structure; very firm consistence dry; contains a few (2%) ferruginous nodules (2-5 mm size); pH 7.0; gradual change to: | |
B23 | 60-90 cm | Yellowish brown (10YR5/8) with dark red (2.5YR4/6) mottles; medium clay; strong medium polyhedral, parting to moderate fine polyhedral structure; very firm consistence dry; pH 7.5; clear and wavy change to: | |
B24 | 90-120 cm | Yellowish brown (10YR5/8) with dark red (2.5YR4.8) mottles; light medium clay; moderate medium polyhedral structure; strong consistence dry; contains manganese stains and very many (60%) quartz gravel fragments (2-20 mm size range); pH 7.8; clear wavy change to: | |
B25 | 120-160 cm | Brownish yellow (10YR6/8) with dusky red (7.5R2.5/4) mottles; light medium clay; very firm consistence moist; contains many (20%) ferruginous nodules (6 mm size); gradual and wavy change to: | |
2B2b | 160 cm+ | Light olive brown (2.5Y6/4) with yellowish red (5YR5/8) mottles; medium heavy clay; strong consistence dry; slickensides; strong dispersion; pH 8.5. |
The surface soil is slightly acid whereas the subsurface (A2) horizon is strongly acid. The upper subsoil is moderately acid and pH increases with depth. The deeper subsoil is moderately alkaline. | The top metre of the soil profile is non-sodic. The deeper subsoil is sodic and the deep subsoil (from 160cm) is strongly sodic and dispersive. | ||
The level of soluble salts is very low throughout the soil profile. | The clay % 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 | Course 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 | 0-10 | 6.1 | 5.3 | 0.08 | 4.6 | 1.1 | 1.3 | 0.12 | 25 | 10 | 10 | 47 | 16 | 26 | |
A2 | 10-20 | 5.2 | 4.4 | 0.1 | 3.4 | 0.82 | 0.96 | 0.08 | 33 | 25 | 9 | 10 | 46 | 12 | 30 |
B21 | 20-40 | 6 | 5.1 | <0.05 | 5 | 1.7 | 0.73 | 0.11 | 27 | 14 | 10 | 30 | 6 | 52 | |
B22 | 40-60 | 7 | 6.1 | 0.05 | 6.8 | 3.5 | 0.55 | 0.2 | 37 | 21 | 4 | 16 | 6 | 73 | |
B23 | 60-90 | 7.5 | 6.6 | 0.05 | 6.6 | 4.5 | 0.57 | 0.28 | 34 | 19 | 5 | 16 | 9 | 69 | |
B24 | 90-120 | 7.8 | 6.7 | 0.05 | 6.1 | 5.4 | 0.55 | 0.4 | 29 | 18 | 7 | 22 | 13 | 60 | |
B25 | 120-160 | 8.2 | 6.6 | 0.06 | 4.8 | 7.1 | 0.46 | 1.5 | 28 | 18 | 18 | 22 | 10 | 52 | |
B3 | 160+ | 8.5 | 7 | 0.08 | 7.5 | 12 | 0.45 | 3.5 | 43 | 22 | 5 | 21 | 12 | 59 |