Clay Testing & Spreading

Publication Date: 31/1/2015
Author: Grain Research & Development Corporation
Document Type: Fact Sheet - .pdf 269kb

Publication Date: 31/9/2011
Author: Grain Research & Development Corporation
Document Type: Booklet - .pdf 6mb

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.