Site NE5

Property: Rutherglen Research Institute.
Paddock Number: 29.

Australian Soil Classification: Sodic, Mesotrophic, Yellow DERMOSOL
Northcote Factual Key: G 2.23
Great Soil Group: No suitable group.

General Landscape Description: Lower slope of a gently undulating rise (2%).
Soil Mapping Unit: Stillards Loam.
Native Vegetation: The original vegetation includes Yellow Box (E.melliodora).

Site NE5 Landscape

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A11	0-10 cm	Dark brown (7.5YR3/4); light fine sandy clay loam; hardsetting; weakly structured; earthy fabric; weak consistence dry; contains a trace (1%) amount of quartz gravel; pH 6.4; abrupt change to:	Site NE5 Profile
A12	10-25 cm	Yellowish red (5YR4/6); fine sandy clay loam; massive; earthy fabric; strong consistence dry; contains a trace (1%) amount of quartz gravel; pH 5.3; clear and wavy change to:
Subsoil
B1	25-50 cm	Yellowish red (5YR5/8); clay loam, fine sandy (becoming light clay with depth); weakly structured; earthy fabric; firm consistence dry; contains a few (7%) ferromanganiferous nodules, as well as a few (3%) angular quartz fragments (2-5 mm size); pH 6.5; gradual and wavy change to:
B21	50-75 cm	Brownish yellow (10YR6/6) with red (2.5YR4/8) mottles; light medium clay; moderate medium blocky structure; strong consistence dry; contains a few (10%) manganese stains in patches, as well as a few (3%) quartz fragments (2-5 mm size); pH 7.1; gradual and wavy change to:
B22	75-110 cm	Light yellowish brown (10YR6/4) with red (2.5YR4/8) mottles; light clay; moderate medium polyhedral structure; strong consistence dry; contains a common (10-20%) amount of manganese segregations; pH 6.9; gradual change to:
B23	110+ cm	Brownish yellow (10YR6/6); light clay; strong medium polyhedral structure; strong consistence dry; contains a common (10%) amount of manganese segregations; pH 8.5.

Key Profile Features:

A lack of clear or abrupt texture change to the B Horizon i.e. gradual increase in clay content down the profile.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

	The surface soil is slightly acid and the subsurface (A2) horizon is strongly acid. The upper subsoil is mainly slightly acid and the deeper subsoil (below 1 metre depth) is moderately alkaline.		The upper soil profile is non-sodic. The deeper subsoil (below 1 metre depth) becomes sodic.
	The level of soluble salts are very low throughout the profile.		The clay percentage increases gradually with depth.

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
A11	0-10	6.4	5.8	0.09	4.4	0.8	0.7	<0.1		20	9	11	57	14	15
A12	10-25	5.3	4.5	0.05	2.2	0.5	0.6	<0.1	24	19	9	13	51	17	20
B1	25-50	6.5	5.7	<0.05	4.3	1.5	0.5	0.1				12	46	15	27
B21	50-75	7.1	6	<0.05	4	2.4	0.3	0.2		24	14	6	33	15	47
B22	75-110	6.9	5.5	<0.05	1.7	3.1	0.3	0.4
B23	110+	8.5	6.8	<0.05	3.4	5.6	0.4	2.3

Management Considerations:

Surface (A) Horizons

The surface (A11) horizon has a high fine sand content (ie. 57%). Organic matter is therefore very important for maintaining aggregation and preventing slaking.

Subsoil (B) Horizons

The upper subsoil is non-sodic and does not disperse and will be relatively well drained. The redder soil colour of the upper B Horizon is also indicative of reasonable drainage conditions.
The deeper subsoil becomes sodic and dispersive. Deep drainage and root movement will be restricted as a consequence.
The presence of manganese segregations in the subsoil may have a toxic effect on deep-rooted manganese sensitive plants.

Management Details:

Disc ploughed in 1971 and ploughed in 1973, 1974 and 1978. Disced and cultivated in 1994.
Lucerne grown in 1994.

Profile Described By: Mark Imhof, Paul Rampant, Sonia Thompson (16/3/95).

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