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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
Item 11 of 17
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Indicator 9 – stunted sub-clover plants

What do you see and when?

  • Stunted sub-clover plants, usually pale green in colour
  • Seen in autumn and winter.

What could this indicate?

  • Soil acidity and associated high soil aluminium
  • Soil borne diseases
  • Caused by four main pathogens (Phytophthora, Pythium, Aphanomyces, Rhizoctonia).
Pictured: Sub-clover with relatively healthy roots on left next to diseased plant with root branch pruning (commonly seen symptom). Photos Richard Simpson, CSIRO
Pictured: Extreme diseased roots with tap root pruning and brown lesions on roots. Photos Richard Simpson, CSIRO

What test can I do to confirm?

  • Soil test, with reference to pH and aluminium.
  • Test strips with lime. Note, lime responses are often not seen in the first year, especially if lime is not incorporated.
  • Inspect roots. Hostile soil conditions will result in stunted roots with less fine roots.
  • Diseased roots are commonly yellow in colour with reduced or pruned branches and may also have brown/ black lesions.
  • Test strips of foliar fungicide such as Phosphorus acid.
  • Predicta B to identify pathogen presence.

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