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

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PLANT INDICATORSSurface ponding under pasture Assess the degree of surface ponding.Base your assessment on ponding present at the time, or your generalrecollection of the time ponded water took to disappear after a wetperiod, or after heavy rainfall in the winter (see opposite). Yellow orpale patches of pasture, or pasture lying flat over the surface indicaterecent surface ponding.THE LENGTH OF TIME WATER REMAINS PONDED on the surfaceindicates the rate of infiltration into the soil, <strong>and</strong> the time the soil remainssaturated. Prolonged waterlogging depletes oxygen <strong>and</strong> causes carbondioxide to build up. Anaerobic conditions develop, <strong>and</strong> chemical <strong>and</strong>biochemical reactions produce by-products toxic to plant roots. PlantavailableN is lost through denitrification, pastures become pale oryellow, <strong>and</strong> photosynthesis declines. Root damage reduces nutrient <strong>and</strong>water uptake <strong>and</strong> plants can wilt <strong>and</strong> lie on the surface. Prolongedsurface ponding makes soil more susceptible to pugging, <strong>and</strong> pastureplants to treading damage. It decreases pasture growth <strong>and</strong> utilisation,<strong>and</strong> can alter pasture species composition.80 VISUAL SOIL ASSESSMENT: Volume 1
FIGURE 12: Visual scoring (VS) of surface ponding under pasturePOOR CONDITION VS = 0Significant surface ponding occurs forlonger than 3 days following heavy rainfallon soils that were at or close tosaturation. The pasture has yellowed orpaled in colour in patches <strong>and</strong> lies flat onthe surfaceMODERATE CONDITION VS = 1Moderate surface ponding can occur forup to 3 days following heavy rain on soilsthat were at or near saturationGOOD CONDITION VS = 2No ponding of water evident 24hours after heavy rain on soils thatwere at or near saturationVISUAL SOIL ASSESSMENT: Volume 181
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VISUAL SOILASSESSMENTCROPPED SOILPA
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TABLE OF CONTENTSIntroduction 5Visu
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INTRODUCTIONTHE QUESTION - To profi
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The following examples illustrate t
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2. Setting upIt is important to be
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VISUAL SOILASSESSMENTNO-TILLCONVENT
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SCORE CARDVisual indicators for ass
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SOIL INDICATORSSoil structure <stro
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SOIL INDICATORSSoil porosity under
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SOIL INDICATORSSoil colour under <s
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SOIL INDICATORSNumber and</
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SOIL INDICATORSEarthworm counts und
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SOIL INDICATORSPresence of a tillag
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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 and 58: FIGURE 1: 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: FIGURE 11: Visual scoring (VS) of d
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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