Victorian Resources Online (archived)

MP29

Location: Woomelang	Group: Birchip Cropping Demonstration Group
Australian Soil Classification: Episodic-Endocalcareous Epipedal, Grey VERTOSOL
General Landscape Description: Lower lying plain within the Hopetoun Land System (Rowan and Downes, 1963).

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A1	0-35 cm	Dark brown (7.5YR4/2); medium clay (sandy); surface cracking; strong very coarse blocky structure; strong consistence dry; pH 7.7; sharp and wavy change to:	MP29 Profile
Subsoil
B21	35-55 cm	Reddish yellow (7.5YR6/6); light medium clay; moderate fine to medium prismatic structure; very firm consistence dry; pH 9.4; gradual change to:
B22k	55-80 cm	Reddish yellow (7.5YR6/6); medium clay; strong consistence dry; contains a common (10%) amount of soft carbonate; gradual change to:
B31	80 cm+	Pinkish grey (7.5YR6/2); heavy clay; strong medium prismatic structure; firm consistence moderately moist; contains patches of soft carbonate; pH 9.1.

Key Profile Features:

Soil Profile Characteristics:

	pH	Salinity	Sodicity	Dispersion
Surface (A1 horizon)	slightly alkaline	very low	sodic	none¹
Subsoil (B21 horizon)	very strongly alkaline	medium to high	very strongly sodic	none²
Deeper subsoil (at 80 cm)	very strongly alkaline	very high	very strongly sodic	none²
¹Strong dispersion after remoulding ²Probably due to high levels of soluble salts.

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	pH (water)	pH (CaCl₂)	EC 1:5	NaCl	Exchangeable Cations
						Ca	Mg	K	Na
						Meq/100g
A1	0-35	7.7	6.7	0.08		9.4	3.8	1.0	1.1
B21	35-55	9.4	8.8	0.97	0.08	6.1	10	0.8	9.5
B22k	55-80
B31	80+	9.1	8.7	1.5	0.23	4.7	9.9	1.1	11.2

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	Field Capacity pF2.5	Wilting Point pF4.2	Coarse Sand (0.2-2.0 mm)	Fine Sand (0.02-0.2 mm)	Silt (0.002-0.02 mm)	Clay (<0.002 mm)


A1	0-35	21.3	25.1
B21	35-55	50.7	36.3
B22k	55-80
B31	80+

Management Considerations

Surface (A) Horizon

The surface soil is sodic and disperses strongly after remoulding. This suggests that structural damage will occur if the soil is cultivated in a moist to wet condition. Raindrop action on exposed soil will also damage soil structure.

Subsoil (B) Horizons

The subsoil is very strongly sodic and has a low exchangeable calcium to magnesium ratio. Soil structural conditions will therefore be unfavourable for plant root development.
The level of soluble salts is medium to high. This may affect the growth of salt sensitive species (eg. chickpeas, lupins).
The subsoil is very strongly alkaline. This indicates that certain nutrients (eg. iron, manganese, zinc and boron) may be poorly available to plants.

Comments from Landholder:

After heavy winter rains water lies on surface.
Gypsum has been applied.

Profile Described By: Mark Imhof and John Martin (23/1/93).

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