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Site WW11

Location: Lillimur

Australian Soil Classification: Hypercalcic, Mottled-Hypernatric, Brown SODOSOL
Northcote Factual Key: Db4.43
Great Soil Group: solodised solonetz

General Landscape Description: This site is on the crest of a low rise. It occurs in association with WW12. Older weathered Parilla Sandstone can occur at depth. More recent aeolian sediments (Woorinen Formation) have also occurred

Photo: Site 11 Landscape
Site WW11 Landscape


Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil
A10-20 cmDark brown (10YR3/3) loamy sand; structureless; weak consistence when dry; pH 6.1:

Site Profile
Site WW11 Profile
A220-25 cmPale brown (10YR6/3) loamy sand; conspicuously bleached; structureless; weak consistence when dry; discontinuous across soil pit; pH 6.9; sharp transition to:

Subsoil

B2125-65 cmBrown (10YR4/3) medium heavy clay; many coarse distinct yellowish brown and red mottles; strong columnar structure (peds >200 mm), parting to moderate blocky structure (peds 50-100 mm); very strong consistence when dry; complete dispersion; colour changes to strong brown (7.5YR5/6) at depth and mottle abundance decreases; pH 7.5:

B22k65-100 cmPink (7.5YR7/4) medium clay (fine sandy); fine distinct reddish yellow mottles are common; moderate prismatic structure (peds 50-100 mm), parting to blocky structure (peds 20-50 mm); many (40%) soft calcium carbonate segregations and a few (5%) hard silica/carbonate nodules; strong dispersion; horizon is discontinuous; carbonate forming large patches in places; pH 9.6:

B23100-130 cmReddish yellow (7.5YR7/6) medium clay (coarse sandy); yellowish red mottles are common; pH 9.7:

BC130-180+ cmPartially weathered sandstone.
Soil Profile Characteristics:
Horizon
pH
Salinity
Internal Drainage
Hydro-phobicity
Surface
(A1 horizon)
slightly acid
low
-
-
-
moderate
Subsoil
(B21 horizon)
slightly alkaline
low
strongly sodic
complete
imperfectly drained1
-
Deeper subsoil
(at 1 metre)
extremely alkaline
medium
-
strong
-
-
1 Most impeding horizon of the profile that will affect plant growth.

Graph
Graph
Graph
Graph

Key Profile Features:
  • Sandy surface soil.
  • Hydrophobic surface soil.
  • Strong texture contrast between surface soil and subsoil.
  • Bleached A2 horizon.
  • Coarse columnar structure in upper subsoil.
  • Sodic clay subsoil.
  • Dispersive subsoil.
  • Mottled subsoil.
  • Weathered sandstone comes in at around 130 cm.
Soil Restrictions and Management Prescriptions:
Feature
Result
Management Prescription
Sandy surface soil.
      • Poor plant available water holding capacity.
      • Poor nutrient holding capacity.
      • Increased risk of wind erosion.
      • Potential for hydrophobicity.
Dryland cropping.
      • Minimum tillage and stubble retention, improve organic matter through maintenance of vegetative cover and growing green manure crops.
      • Establish wind protection barriers.
Horticulture
      • Improve organic matter through maintenance of vegetative cover and growing green manure crops.
      • Establish wind protection barriers.
      • Increase frequency of fertiliser (eg side dressings) and irrigations.
Hydrophobic surface soil.
      • Poor infiltration of water into the soil.
      • Increased risk of water erosion.
      • Poor seed germination.
      • Maintenance of surface vegetative cover.
      • Claying (application of subsoil clay from other areas directly to the soil surface).
Bleached A2 horizon.
      • Indication of waterlogged condition (impeded internal drainage) within the surface soil.
      • Poor soil structure (often massive).
      • Low organic matter, water holding capacity and nutrition within the horizon.
Dryland cropping.
      • Include deep rooted crops in the rotation, minimum tillage and stubble retention.
      • Apply gypsum if the surface soil is responsive to gypsum.
      • Optimise plant growth through a regular and balanced fertiliser programme.
Horticulture.
      • Improve organic matter through maintaining optimum plant growth and growing green manure crops between the rows.
      • Minimum tillage and surface vegetative cover.
      • Apply gypsum if the surface soil is sodic.
      • Optimise plant growth through a regular and balanced fertiliser programme.
      • Install subsoil drainage (if appropriate).
Strong textural contrast between surface soil and subsoil (duplex).
      • Strong texture and structure difference between the surface soil and the subsoil.
      • Can result in impeded internal drainage and restricted root growth.
      • Improve organic matter through maintenance of vegetative cover and growing green manure crops.
      • Reduce tillage.
      • Mounding for orchards.
      • Optimise plant growth through regular balanced fertiliser programme.
      • Consider sub-surface drainage (if appropriate).
Sodic clay subsoil.
      • Poor water and air movement into the subsoil resulting in waterlogging (impeded internal drainage).
      • Poor root growth into the subsoil reducing the volume of the soil able to be exploited.
      • Gypsum applications if the subsoil is close to the surface and surface soil textures are light.
Dryland cropping
      • Include deep rooted crops in the rotation, minimum tillage and stubble retention.
Horticulture
      • Deep ripping with gypsum, install tile drainage (if appropriate).
Columnar or prismatic subsoil structure.
      • Often indicates sodic clay subsoil.
      • Poor water and air movement into the subsoil resulting in waterlogging (impeded internal drainage).
      • Poor root growth into the subsoil reducing the volume of the soil able to be exploited.
      • Very difficult to cultivate particularly if surface soil is shallow.
      • Apply gypsum if the subsoil is close to the surface and surface soil textures are light.
Dryland cropping.
      • Include deep rooted crops in the rotation, minimum tillage and stubble retention.
Horticulture.
      • Deep ripping with gypsum, install tile drainage (if appropriate).
      • These soil are difficult to manage, not suitable for high levels of production unless substantial modification can be achieved.
Dispersion (dry soil).
      • Indication of soil sodicity. Soil structure collapses following wetting resulting in poor soil structure that reduces water movement and plant root growth (see sodic subsoil).
      • Increases water erosion hazard.
Dryland cropping.
      • Apply gypsum, include deep rooted crops in the rotation, minimum tillage and stubble retention.
Horticulture.
      • Apply gypsum, maintain optimum plant growth in between the rows. Minimum tillage and surface vegetative cover.
Mottled subsoil.
      • Indication of periodic waterlogging, particularly if grey and yellow mottles predominate.
      • Consider sub-surface drainage (if appropriate).
      • Apply gypsum if subsoil is sodic and close to the surface.

Land Suitability Rating Table:
LAND USE
SUITABILITY CLASS
MAJOR LIMITING COMPONENT
Wheat
2
Climate, landscape, soil
Canola
2
Climate, landscape, soil
Chickpeas
3
Soil
Lentils
3
Soil
White clover seed
2
Soil
Lucerne for seed production
3
Soil
Viticulture
3
Soil
Apples
2
Climate, soil
Potatoes
3
Soil
Carrots
3
Soil
Onions
3
Soil
Sweet corn
3
Soil
Radiata Pine
3
Climate, soil
Blue Gum
3
Climate, soil

Land Suitability Assessment and Primary Limitations:
WheatClimate2Moderate frost risk, slightly high rainfall.
Landscape2Wind erosion hazard.
Soil2Slightly impeded internal drainage, hydrophobicity.
CanolaClimate2Moderate frost risk.
Landscape2Wind erosion hazard.
Soil2Slightly impeded internal drainage, hydrophobicity.
ChickpeasClimate2*Moderate frost risk, moderate to high rainfall.
Landscape2Wind erosion hazard.
Soil3Sandy surface soil texture, impeded internal drainage.
LentilsClimate2Moderate frost risk, slightly high rainfall.
Landscape2Wind erosion hazard.
Soil3Sandy surface soil texture, impeded internal drainage.
White clover seedClimate1No major limitation.
Landscape1No major limitation.
Soil2Slightly alkaline subsoil pH, soil salinity, slightly impeded internal drainage, hydrophobicity.
Lucerne for seed productionClimate1No major limitation.
Landscape2Wind erosion hazard.
Soil3Impeded internal drainage.
ViticultureClimate2Moderate frost risk.
Landscape1No major limitation.
Soil3Impeded internal drainage.
ApplesClimate2Moderate frost risk, slightly high mean maximum January temperature.
Landscape1No major limitation.
Soil2Soil salinity, slightly impeded internal drainage, hydrophobicity.
PotatoesClimate2Slightly high mean maximum January temperature.
Landscape2Wind erosion hazard.
Soil3Impeded internal drainage.
CarrotsClimate1No major limitation.
Landscape2Wind erosion hazard.
Soil3Impeded internal drainage, shallow surface soil.
OnionsClimate2Moderate frost risk.
Landscape2Wind erosion hazard.
Soil3Impeded internal drainage.
Sweet cornClimate2Slightly low mean monthly temperature (October-March).
Landscape2Wind erosion hazard.
Soil3Sandy surface soil.
Radiata PineClimate3Low rainfall.
Landscape2Wind erosion hazard.
Soil3Depth to sandstone.
Blue GumClimate3Low rainfall.
Landscape2Wind erosion hazard.
Soil3Depth to sandstone.
* Some areas may have higher rainfall.

Profile Described By: Mark Imhof, Nathalie Baxter (08/01/97).
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