Home Contents Biblio ACID SOIL ACTION INVESTMENT ACID SOIL ACTION N O W A N D FOR F O R YOUR T H E SOIL F U T U R E A practical decision support guide to assess the problem & manage the risk Home Cover ACID SOIL ACTION INVESTMENT N O W A N D FOR F O R YOUR T H E SOIL F U T U R E Contents About this kit Getting started How to use the kit What’s in it for me? Support material Why worry about acid soils? Nature of the problem The acid attack 10 The cost 11 Benefits of action 13 Understanding acidity 17 What can you to stop soils becoming more acid? 17 What needs to be done? 17 Soil pH - What does the figure mean? 22 The strategies 23 Interpreting soil pH 24 What I need to do? 29 Acid soil management decision 29 Action Guide for soil acidity 39 Check the signs 39 Indicators of Acid Soil 41 Taking soil samples 44 Measuring soil pH 46 Possible causes 47 Monitoring checklist 48 Field texture 50 How much lime? 53 To maintain production level 53 To increase soil pH to grow sensitive plants 53 Lime Guide 63 Which liming material is best? 63 Types of lime 65 Comparing limes 67 Managing soil acidity - technical note series 69 Lime suppliers 103 Soil acidity profile maps 109 Home Acknowledgments This publication is intended as a guide for farmers, advisers and industry field representatives to help assess acid soil problems and decide on appropriate management strategies The kit has been designed and compiled by Carole Hollier, Agriculture Victoria, Rutherglen with the assistance of numerous colleagues in research, extension and industry The technical information has been supplied by many sources and is gratefully acknowledged Special thanks to Anna Ridley, Bill Slattery, Eloise Rich, Agriculture Victoria; Greg Fenton, NSW Agriculture; Brian Hughes, Primary Industries, South Australia; Mike Frost, Limestone Association of Australia; and Trevor Tovey, David Mitchell Limited Special thanks also to the farmers in south-eastern Australia who provided crucial input in determining what problems to address and how to present information – especially the 12 farmer collaborators in north-eastern Victoria for their valuable contribution Suggestions for improving the manual are most welcome The kit has been funded by the Land and Water Resources Research and Development Corporation, as part of the National Soil Acidification Program © Department of Natural Resources and Environment 1999 DISCLAIMER This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss of other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication ISBN 7311 4309 Contents Home Contents This kit is for Farmers who: • are not aware of the impact of soil acidity • know they have a problem, but are not sure of the implications • are ready to act, but unsure of what to • have made some attempts at soil diagnosis/management, but unsystematically • are uncomfortable with the technical level of data in available materials • are uncertain about management options, costs, benefits, time scales • need clear, practical information • are ready to act further, but need clear options and industry/farm advisers who: • know about acid soils but want to update their skills • are busy people and want a quick reference guide • talk to farmers to help solve their problems • require industry information (lime sources/quality) • want more detail It features: • action-oriented information: what to next • clear steps, essential minimum information only • clear recommendations to assist decision making • organised around tasks, not topics • easy to use planning and recording tools • basic guide to cost-benefits of alternative approaches Follow the tractors: Go to page to get started The kit will be successful if you: • are convinced to test for soil acidity • implement monitoring or action strategies in the current year • seek further support and information • establish new farm management practices to minimise soil acidification • move to a whole farm planning approach • obtain increases in yield and profitability by implementing a liming strategy A C I D S O I L A C T I O N • A B O U T T H I S K I T Home Contents Soil acidification - Is your farm at risk? If acid is attacking your soil and burning a hole in the farm account Acid Soil Action - a practical decision support system to encourage step-wise adoption of management options - is for you It aims to increase awareness of the impact of soil acidification and knowledge of management options to reduce soil acidity How to use the kit You can read single sheets or work through the whole package A series of colour coded tractors makes your information search and decision making easier This “go to” approach is designed to guide your decision making process You decide the level of involvement For example, Go to page x and your technical information needs The tractor symbols will drive you through the awareness and assessment of soil acidification into management options to improve farm management decisions It provides direction for further information and action What’s in it for me? The material is divided into colour coded sections The first section introduces acid soils and describes the nature of the problem It helps you answer the question; Is acidification an issue for my farm? The second part is a step-wise farm management decision support system followed by a series of technical information updates For many land managers the information sheets and work plans will not go into enough depth They are designed to provide a starting point to build individual knowledge and improve discussions with your farm adviser Support material This resource kit can be adapted for discussion groups or group activities (such as Landcare) to update skill base on recognising acid soil problems and appropriate farm management options Photographs and illustrations help to reinforce key elements for your A C I D S O I L A C T I O N • G E T T I N G S T A R T E D Home management decisions Technical terms are explained on the most relevant sheet and a glossary of terms is provided However, the package is not complete It is designed as an initial building block to add specific information and relevant material from other sources for your region and industry Your local Department of Agriculture will be able to supply you with a range of resource material and can advise on commercial soil testing packages Research results from local or regional lime evaluation or acidification studies may also be available With the help of this guide, you can make an initial assessment of an acid soil problem and determine, in consultation with your farm adviser and Australian Fertiliser Services Association local lime suppliers, management actions to minimise and treat acidification and boost productivity A C I D S O I L A C T I O N • G E T T I N G S T A R T E D Contents Home Contents The process of soil acidification or change in the amount of acid in the soil is a serious land degradation issue Without treatment soil acidification will have a major impact on agricultural productivity and sustainable farming systems Ninety million hectares of agricultural land in Australia is acid and at risk of further soil degradation Nearly half of this land is already strongly acid (pHCa