Paddock Practices: Use soil testing to determine fertiliser requirements in the Southern region – SA, VIC, TAS (Factsheet)
This Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) webpage summarises the factsheet, Soil testing to determine fertiliser applications [PDF 1.5 MB, 5 pages]. It explains how soil testing can be used to make more accurate and cost-effective fertiliser decisions for Australian grain growers and advisers. The factsheet outlines why and when to sample soils, how to collect representative topsoil and subsoil samples, and which soil tests are most relevant for guiding nutrient applications (including phosphorus, nitrogen, sulfur, potassium) and key soil constraints such as acidity and salinity. It emphasises the importance of consistent sampling depth, timing and paddock history to improve the reliability of results, and highlights how soil test data should be interpreted alongside crop type, yield targets and fertiliser history. The webpage includes relevant references including GRDC Soil testing for crop nutrition (Southern Region) factsheet [PDF 1.2 MB, 4 pages]. While the webpage is written for the Southern region, the principles apply across Australian cropping regions.#
This is a carefully curated database of important soil resources. The data base is not exhaustive but rather a library of the resources we believe are the most useful for the audience. Each resource has been added after careful consideration against our selection criteria, including but not limited to its scientific validity, accessibility, and readability. The library generally does not include most academic research papers but may include some open-source papers written in accessible English.
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SSA reminds users that these resources are a guide only. Our understanding of soil science is improving continuously so it is important to check the suitability of the information for your purpose with an appropriately qualified professional such as a Registered Soil Professional or a Certified Professional Soil ScientistÂ
