Spread, delve, spade, invert: a best practice guide to the addition of clay to sandy soils
Publication Date
9-2011
Publisher
Grains Research and Development Corporation
City
Kingston, A.C.T.
ISBN
978-1-921779-27-5
Abstract
Across Western and South Australia there are many millions of hectares of deep sand or sand over clay-rich subsoils that are used for agricultural production. However, these sandy soils present a range of challenges due to their poor water holding capacity, inherent low fertility, extremes of pH, low levels of microbial activity and vulnerability to wind erosion.
In addition, many sandy soils are non-wetting, which causes uneven germination resulting in poor weed control, low levels of soil cover and reduced productivity.
Sands and loamy sand soils have less than five per cent clay content. As clay protects organic material from decomposition these soils are also low in organic carbon.
Raising the clay content changes the soil texture class, which increases the capacity for the soil to store water (Table 1 page 6), nutrients and soil organic carbon. Experience has found that it is feasible and profitable to raise the percentage of clay in the soil to above five per cent. For example, adding 200t/ha of soil containing 30 per cent clay would raise the clay content in the topsoil from 0.5 to about five per cent, if incorporated to 10cm.
Provided that appropriate methods are followed, remediating sandy soils with clay-rich subsoil can result in substantial yield improvements. Trials in WA and SA have reported yield improvements of 20 to 130 per cent across cereal, lupin and canola crops in the years following clay additions.
Number of Pages
50
Keywords
Clay, Soil texture, Soil moisture, Soil permeability, Soil absorption and adsorption, Sandy soils -- Western Australia, Sandy soils -- South Australia.
Disciplines
Agricultural Science | Agronomy and Crop Sciences | Hydrology | Natural Resources Management and Policy | Soil Science | Water Resource Management
Recommended Citation
Davenport, D,
Hughes, B,
Davies, S,
and
Hall, D.
(2011), Spread, delve, spade, invert: a best practice guide to the addition of clay to sandy soils. Grains Research and Development Corporation, Kingston, A.C.T.. Report.
https://library.dpird.wa.gov.au/lr_publishedrpts/43
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