Field Guide. cropping and pastoral grazing on flat to rolling country.

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SOIL INDICATORSSoil porosity under pasture Remove a spade slice of soil from the side of the hole created bytaking the 20 cm cube of topsoil, or take a number of clods from theaggregate distribution test. Examine for soil porosity, comparing with the three photographsopposite.SOIL POROSITY, <strong>and</strong> particularly macroporosity (the number of largepores), controls the movement of air <strong>and</strong> water in the soil. It is importantto assess soil porosity as well as aggregate-size distribution. Soils withgood structure have a high porosity between <strong>and</strong> within aggregates,but soils with large structural units may not have macropores <strong>and</strong> coarsemicropores within the large clods, <strong>and</strong> may not be adequately aerated.Restricted air <strong>and</strong> water movement reduces root activity <strong>and</strong> pasturegrowth.58 VISUAL SOIL ASSESSMENT: Volume 1
FIGURE 2: Visual scoring (VS) of soil porosity under pasturePOOR CONDITION VS = 0No macropores or coarse micropores arevisually apparent within compact, massivestructureless clods that typically showsmooth faces with sharp angles, <strong>and</strong> havefew cracks or holesMODERATE CONDITION VS = 1Soil macropores between <strong>and</strong> withinaggregates have declined significantly butare present on close examination of clodsshowing a moderate amount ofconsolidationGOOD CONDITION VS = 2Soils have many macropores between <strong>and</strong>within aggregates associated with readilyapparent good soil structureVISUAL SOIL ASSESSMENT: Volume 159
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VISUAL SOILASSESSMENTCROPPED SOILPA
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TABLE OF CONTENTSIntroduction 5Visu
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INTRODUCTIONTHE QUESTION - To profi
Page 7 and 8: The following examples illustrate t
Page 9 and 10: 2. Setting upIt is important to be
Page 11: VISUAL SOILASSESSMENTNO-TILLCONVENT
Page 14 and 15: SCORE CARDVisual indicators for ass
Page 16 and 17: SOIL INDICATORSSoil structure <stro
Page 18 and 19: SOIL INDICATORSSoil porosity under
Page 20 and 21: SOIL INDICATORSSoil colour under <s
Page 22 and 23: SOIL INDICATORSNumber and</
Page 24 and 25: SOIL INDICATORSEarthworm counts und
Page 26 and 27: SOIL INDICATORSPresence of a tillag
Page 28 and 29: SOIL INDICATORSDegree of clod devel
Page 30 and 31: SOIL INDICATORSSusceptibility to wi
Page 32 and 33: 32 VISUAL SOIL ASSESSMENT: Volume 1
Page 34 and 35: PLANT INDICATORSCrop emergence Asse
Page 36 and 37: PLANT INDICATORSCrop height at matu
Page 38 and 39: PLANT INDICATORSThe size an
Page 40 and 41: PLANT INDICATORSCrop yield Assess r
Page 42 and 43: PLANT INDICATORSRoot diseases Asses
Page 44 and 45: PLANT INDICATORSWeed infestation As
Page 46 and 47: PLANT INDICATORSSurface ponding und
Page 48 and 49: PLANT INDICATORSProduction costs As
Page 50 and 51: 50 VISUAL SOIL ASSESSMENT: Volume 1
Page 53 and 54: SCORE CARDVisual indicators for ass
Page 55 and 56: INSTRUCTIONS FORASSESSING SOIL QUAL
Page 57: FIGURE 1: Visual scoring (VS) of so
Page 61 and 62: FIGURE 3: Visual scoring (VS) of so
Page 63 and 64: FIGURE 4: Visual scoring (VS) of nu
Page 65 and 66: FIGURE 5: Visual scoring (VS) of ea
Page 67 and 68: FIGURE 6: Visual scoring (VS) of su
Page 69 and 70: INSTRUCTIONS FORASSESSING SOIL QUAL
Page 71 and 72: FIGURE 7: Visual scoring (VS) of pa
Page 77 and 78: FIGURE 10: Visual scoring (VS) of a
Page 79 and 80: FIGURE 11: Visual scoring (VS) of d
Page 81 and 82: FIGURE 12: Visual scoring (VS) of s
Page 83 and 84: FIGURE 13: Scoring of stock-carryin
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Field Guide. cropping and pastoral grazing on flat to rolling country.

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