Victorian Resources Online (archived)

NE3

Group: Chiltern Landcare Group	Australian Soil Classification: Bleached, Dystrophic, Yellow KUROSOL
Northcote Factual Key: Dy 2.41	Great Soil Group: yellow podzolic

NE3 landscape

Soil Profile Morphology:

Surface Soil

A1	0-5 cm	Dark brown (10YR3/3); light sandy clay loam with a hardsetting surface condition; weak coarse blocky structure; firm consistence dry; contains a common (20%) amount of quartz gravel (2-5 mm); pH 5.3; sharp and wavy change to:	NE3 profile
A2	5-25 cm	Yellowish brown (10YR5/6) conspicuously bleached (10YR8/4d); light sandy clay loam; massive; very firm consistence dry; contains a common (20%) amount of quartz gravel (2-5 mm); pH 5.1; abrupt and wavy change to:
Subsoil
B21	25-50 cm	Brownish yellow (10YR6/8); light medium clay (sandy); massive; strong consistence dry; contains a few (10%) quartz gravels (2-5 mm); pH 4.9; gradual change to:
B22	50-70 cm	Brownish yellow (10YR6/8); medium clay (sandy); moderate medium polyhedral structure; strong consistence dry; contains a common (15%) amount of quartz gravel; pH 4.8; gradual change to:
B23	70-90 cm	Yellowish brown (10YR5/6) and red (2.5YR4/8); light medium clay (sandy); strong medium to fine polyhedral structure; strong consistence dry; contains a common (20%) amount of quartz gravels (2-5%); pH 5.0; gradual change to:
B24	90+ cm	Light brownish grey (10YR6/2) with red (2.5YR4/8) and brownish yellow (10YR6/8) bands; light medium clay (sandy); strong medium to fine polyhedral structure; strong consistence dry; contains many (25%) quartz gravels (2-5 mm); pH 4.8.

Key Profile Features:

Strong texture contrast between the surface (A) horizons and clay (B) horizons.
Conspicuously bleached subsurface A2 horizon.
Soil pH (water) is < 5.5 throughout the profile.

Soil Profile Characteristics:

Horizon	pH	Salinity Rating	Sodicity	Dispersion
Surface (A1 horizon)	strongly acid	very low	non-sodic	water-stable
Subsoil (B21 horizon)	very strongly acid	very low	non-sodic	slaking, no dispersion
Deeper subsoil (at 1 m)	very strongly acid	very low	non-sodic	slaking, no dispersion

Horizon	Horizon Depth (cm)	pH (water)	pH (CaCl₂)	EC 1:5	Exchangeable Cations
					Ca	Mg	K	Na
					meq/100g
A1	0-5	5.3 (5.2)	4.3	0.06	5	0.8	0.2	<0.1
A2	5-25	5.1 (4.9)	4.0	<0.05	1.1	0.3	0.1	<0.1
B21	25-50	4.9 (4.9)	4.1	<0.05	1.2	1.2	0.2	0.1
B22	50-70	4.8		<0.05	0.6	1.9	0.3	0.1
B23	70-90	5		<0.05	0.4	2.4	0.4	0.1
B24	90+	4.8		<0.05	0.2	2.4	0.4	0.1

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	0-5	56	26.2	14.1	23	35	17	16
A2	5-25	132	17.9	10	24	39	17	19
B21	25-50	242	27.5	19.5	15	18	9	57
B22	50-70	244	31.9	24.2	12	11	8	68
B23	70-90	239
B24	90+	236

Management Considerations:

Surface (A) Horizons

The strongly acid surface soil indicates that aluminium and manganese toxicity may occur. The level of exchangeable aluminium measured in the laboratory (56 ug/g) suggests that highly sensitive species such as barley, lucerne, phalaris, medics and some wheat varieties may be effected. Raising the pH level of the surface soil will help reduce that toxicity. A lime test (sampled at the paddock level) may be appropriate to determine how much lime is needed to raise pH levels. Deficiencies in molybdenum, calcium and potassium may also occur. The level of exchangeable aluminium increases in the A2 horizon to a level (132 ug/g) which is likely to effect sensitive species such as canola and other wheat varieties as well as highly sensitive species.
The overall nutrient status for the surface is low (in terms of the sum of the exchangeable basic cations). However, the total nitrogen and organic matter levels are high. The high organic matter is important for maintaining surface soil structure and minimising surface soil slaking. However, soils with high organic matter levels require larger quantities of lime to raise the pH. Surface soil organic matter is also important for improving soil fertility and water holding capacity.
Subsurface (A2) horizon has a very low overall nutrient status (in terms of the sum of the exchangeable basic cations).

Subsoil (B) Horizons

The subsoil is non-sodic and non-dispersive. Subsoil drainage is therefore likely to be reasonable.
The subsoil is very strongly acid and exchangeable aluminium (240 ug/g) levels measured in the laboratory are high and will affect the growth of aluminium sensitive species and possibly even some aluminium tolerant species.
The overall nutrient status in the subsoil is very low (in terms of the sum of the exchangeable cations).

Comments from Landholder:

Superphosphate applied every year.
Half a tonne of lime applied five years ago.

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

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