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DKO Soil Management Practices

DKO Soil Management Practices. AS 90919 Level 1 Ag Hort Sci External Exam 4 Credits. Contents. What is the soil made of?. What can we measure in the soil ?. How can we change the soil? Irrigation? Drainage Crop rotation Fertiliser or compost application Liming Cultivation

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DKO Soil Management Practices

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  1. DKO Soil Management Practices AS 90919 Level 1 Ag HortSci External Exam 4 Credits

  2. Contents • What is the soil made of? • What can we measure in the soil? • How can we change the soil? • Irrigation? • Drainage • Crop rotation • Fertiliser or compost application • Liming • Cultivation • Effluent application

  3. What is soil made of? Have a go at answering this question. There are 5 components: • M • A • L • O • W INERALS IR IVING ORGANISMS RGANIC MATTER ATER

  4. Mineral components • When rocks/ stones get broken down they create the mineral part of the soil. These ‘bits’ are the sand,siltand clay particles. • Clay = < 0.002 mm • Silt = 0.002 – 0.02 mm • Sand = > 0.02 mm • The mix of sand silt and clay determines soil texture (More on this latter)

  5. Air • Contains oxygen which is necessary for plant roots and the living soil organisms. No oxygen in the soil = no life in the soil. • Air travels into the soil from the surface through the pores (holes) in the soil. • Air is sucked into the soil by water as it drains downwards.

  6. Living organisms Living organisms include: Bacteria Fungi Nematodes Worms Ants Centipedes Slugs… • Soil organisms are more important than everyone thinks… • They improve soil structure (worms dig holes) • And they breakdown (digest) the OM to release the nutrients to the plant. Micro Macro

  7. Organic matter • If it was once living then it is now dead .Organic matter (OM) is dead plants and animals. It can be large particles down to very small particles. • The very small particles of OM are called humus

  8. Water Essential for: • photosynthesis • Plant turgidity • Nutrient uptake • The only way water can get into the plant is via the roots (root hairs).

  9. Plant Nutrients Macro Nutrients N NH4 P H2PO4 K K+ Ca Ca2+ Mg Mg2+ S SO42- Micro Nutreints Fe Mn Zn Cu B Mo Cl • There are 16 essential plant nutrients. 13 of these come from the soil and are absorbed as ions. • These soil nutrients (ions) are ‘chemically held’ by the soil minerals (sand silt clay). • As OM breaks down it eventually will be broken down into the ions and absorbed by the plant.

  10. Plant Nutrients availability Four factors decide how much of a nutrient is available to the plant • How much enters the soil (from fertiliser or compost) • How much leaves the soil (from plant uptake or leaching) • How much the soil can hold onto (it needs a high surface area to hold the ions) • The pH (acidity) of the soil.

  11. Soil pH • The correct pH … • Allows plant nutrients to be released by the soil • Encourages living organisms

  12. Soil pH • Different plants have different pH preferences. • The pH of most vege gardens should be about 6.5. This is a good pH for most vege plants. • However if you had a crop of potatoes – the best pH would be…

  13. Soil texture • The % of sand silt and clay determine the soil texture • Soil texture determines a lot of soil characteristics • The ideal soil is a loam • You tube and soil texture measurement • You tube – soil texture the feel test

  14. Soil structure • Macro/ micro pores, Porosity, • Peds

  15. Water Holding Capacity

  16. Cultivation • Compaction is when the soil has been compressed and the pores squashed so that air can no longer enter the soil

  17. Browning off on the ridges of the hills. Irrigated grapes in the foreground Topography

  18. Soil Amendments • Lime – artificial fertiliser – organic fertilisers

  19. Signs of poor drainage Yellowing of plants Mottled subsoil Pugging of surface Poor structure Drainage To improve drainage… • Lay pipe drains or open drains • Plant in raised beds • Improve soil structure • Add lime to clay soils (floculation)

  20. Irrigation

  21. Crop rotation

  22. Revision Questions • Name the 5 components of soil • What three particles define the soil texture? • Place the following in order of smallest to largest Sand clay silt • What 2 functions do living organisms perform in the soil? • In an ideal soil, what proportion of the soil is air?

  23. Activity – The perfect soil • What percentages of each of the soil components would be in the perfect soil? • M • A • L • O • W INERALS IR IVING ORGANISMS RGANIC MATTER ATER

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