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Visual indicators of soil condition

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  1. Pasture growth

    In the paddock
    1 quiz
  2. Indicator 1 - dark green patches
    1 quiz
  3. Indicator 2 - yellowing pastures
    1 quiz
  4. Indicator 3 - grass dominant pasture
    1 quiz
  5. Indicator 4 - stock camps
    1 quiz
  6. Indicator 5 - reduced summer growth
    1 quiz
  7. Indicator 6 - lucerne stunting
    1 quiz
  8. Sub-Clover and Legume Nodulation
    Plants and pastures
  9. Indicator 7 - small, dark green leaves
    1 quiz
  10. Indicator 8 - bronzing of sub-clover
    1 quiz
  11. Indicator 9 - stunted sub-clover plants
    1 quiz
  12. Indicator 10 - few or white nodules
    1 quiz
  13. Soil Characteristics
    Soil surface and clover roots
  14. Indicator 11 - soil surface
    1 quiz
  15. Indicator 12 - soil disturbance
    1 quiz
  16. Weeds as Indicators of Soil Condition
    High fertility indicators
    1 quiz
  17. Low fertility indicators
    1 quiz

What do you see and when?

  • Lucerne stunting or patchy poor growth following establishment
  • Seen in the first three to four months after establishment

What could this indicate?

Pictured: Stunted lucerne with J-shaped roots from poor growth patches (left) compared to healthy plants
  • Soil acidity with associated high soil aluminium. This affects root growth, causing stunting, sideways growth of roots and plant loss.
  • Waterlogging may cause a similar effect.

What test can I do to confirm?

  • Soil test, with reference to pH and aluminium at 0-10, 10-20 and 20-30cm to detect top and sub soil acidity.

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