Soils

Western Australia’s agriculture sector needs access to quality soil that can sustain long-term productivity and growth. The department is leading the way in developing management practices to maximise soil productivity and minimise land degradation. The department also provides technical information on managing soil constraints, including acidity, water repellence, subsoil compaction, erosion along with nutrient management. We also support agriculture through soil and land condition monitoring, condition assessment and providing management strategies and tools to improve soil condition.

Articles

  • Claying involves adding and incorporating clay-rich subsoil into water repellent topsoil to overcome the repellence.

  • A small decrease in soil pH represents a large increase in soil acidity.

  • Agricultural lime is any product that is used to increase the pH of soil. In Western Australia, the three main sources are limesand, limestone and dolomitic lime.

  • Carbonate from calcium carbonate (or magnesium carbonate) neutralises acid in the soil.

  • Convert to 100% neutralising value (NV) for equal comparison and discount to allow for differences in particle size and speed of reaction.

  • Soil acidity is a major constraint to farming in Western Australia.