Indicator 5 – reduced summer growth
Meat & Livestock Australia April 3, 2020
What do you see and when?
- Areas that stay green during summer but have reduced growth.
- Bare patches remain damp and white salt crystals may be visible on soil surface.
- Different plants growing to the rest of the paddock.
- Best seen in late spring.
What could this indicate?
- Salinity caused by a salty water table less than two metres from the soil surface
- Freshwater spring
What test can I do to confirm?
- Soil test with reference to electrical conductivity (EC).
- Identification of individual plant species to confirm their salt tolerance.
Pictured below: Examples of salinity indicator plants.
Buckshorn plantain
(Plantago coronopus)
Sea barley grass
(Hordeum marinum)
Yellow buttons
(Cotula coronopifolia)
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