Victorian Resources Online (archived)

NE1

Group: Chiltern Landcare Group	Australian Soil Classification: Bleached-Sodic, Eutrophic, Yellow CHROMOSOL
Northcote Factual Key: Dy 3.43	Great Soil Group: solodic soil
General Landscape Description: Old alluvial plain. The original vegetation included Yellow Box (Eucalyptus melliodora) and Red Box (E. polyanthemos).

NE1 landscape

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A1	0-10 cm	Dark brown (10YR4/3); fine sandy loam; hardsetting and massive surface condition; firm consistence dry; pH 6.0*; clear and smooth change to:	NE1 profile
A2	10-35 cm	Light yellowish brown (10YR6/4) conspicuously bleached (10YR8/2d); coarse loamy sand; massive; firm consistence dry; pH 5.3*; clear and wavy change to:
Subsoil
B21	35-60 cm	Light yellowish brown (10YR6/4) and brownish yellow (10YR6/6) mottles; light clay (sandy); weakly structured; very strong consistence dry; contains a few (3%) semi-hard manganese concretions; pH 7.7; gradual change to:
B22	60-90 cm	Light yellowish brown (10YR6/4) with brownish yellow (10YR6/6) mottles; light clay (sandy); moderate coarse sub-angular blocky structure; very strong consistence dry; contains a few (5-10%) hard manganese nodules and very few (2%) quartz crystals; pH 7.5; gradual change to:
B23	90+ cm	Brown (10YR5/3) with yellowish red (5YR5/8) and brownish yellow (10YR6/6) mottles; medium clay; moderate structure; very firm consistence moist; contains manganese stains and pockets of quartz; pH 8.3.
*20 replicates taken from the paddock.

Key Profile Features:

Strong texture contrast between the surface (A) horizon and clay (B) horizons.
Conspicuously bleached subsurface A2 horizon.
Sodic subsoil.
Hardsetting surface soil with a high fine sand content (45%).

Soil Profile Characteristics:

Horizon	pH	Salinity Rating	Sodicity	Dispersion
Surface (A1 horizon)	moderately acid	very low	non-sodic	__
Subsoil (B21 horizon)	slightly acid	very low	nearly sodic	none¹
Deeper subsoil (at 1 m)	moderately alkaline	very low	sodic	strong

¹ Moderate dispersion with remoulding (after 2 hours).

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	pH (water)	pH (CaCl₂)	EC 1:5	Exchangeable Cations
					Ca	Mg	K	Na
					meq/100g
A1	0-10	6	5	<0.05	2.3	0.6	2.7	0.1
A2	10-35	5.3	4.4	<0.05	1	1.5	0.1	1.7
B21	35-60	7.7 (6.8)	5.6	<0.05	4.8	1.9	0.4	0.4
B22	60-90	7.5		0.09	4.3	2.2	0.5	0.5
B23	90+	8.3		0.08	4.7	5.8	0.7	1.7

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	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)


A1	0-10	<10	20.4	4	23	45	16	16
A2	10-35	15	17.8	4.7	28	43	20	8
B21	35-60	<10	22.5	14.7	23	27	13	35
B22	60-90
B23	90+

Management Considerations:

Surface (A) Horizons

The surface has a low overall nutrient status (based on the sum of the exchangeable basic cations) and a low level of total nitrogen and organic carbon.
The surface soil is hardsetting and has a high fine sand content (45%). Upon wetting and drying the surface soil sets hard and will be difficult to work and may become "powdery" when worked in a dry condition. Cultivation of such soils when wet may result in surface sealing upon drying. Tillage should be minimised and stubble retention/pasture rotations practised to improve organic matter levels. Organic matter will assist in improving surface soil structural condition.
The conspicuously bleached A2 horizon indicates that periodic waterlogging may occur. This horizon has low fertility and is likely to become "soupy" when worked in a wet condition (as is evident by strong dispersion occurring after remoulding). The A2 horizon is strongly acid but exchangeable aluminium levels are relatively low based on laboratory data available.

Subsoil (B) Horizons

The subsoil is nearly sodic at this site and disperses slightly in water (after 20 hours) (strongly after remoulding). This is likely to restrict water and root movement through the profile. Some areas in the paddock are, however, sodic in the upper subsoil (ESP ranges from 4-13) and are more likely to suffer from restricted water and root movement.
The subsoil has a moderate overall nutrient status (based on the sum of the exchangeable cations).

Comments from Landholder:

The white subsurface layer becomes soupy in winter.
Ripping is not worthwhile as the rips close up within a month.

Notes
Profile described by Mark Imhof, Paul Rampant and Sonia Thompson (15/3/95).

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