Soil Acidity in the Tatiara Districts and Coorong
Soil Acidity in the Tatiara Districts and Coorong
The Tatiara District and Coorong Council covers a combined area of 1.54 million hectares. It is a productive area of SA with a total value of annual agricultural production of more than $490M (ABS, 2015-16).
Soil acidity (low soil pH) is becoming an emerging and significant problem throughout the area particularly on the sandy to sandy loam textured soils. It is a natural process but is accelerated with more productive and intensive farming practices. When the soil falls below pH 5.5 (CaCl2) the productivity of crops and pastures starts to decline. The area currently acidic or likely to become acidic in the next few years is approximately 334,500 hectares or 35.6% of the agricultural area with an estimated production loss of $5.3M.
KEY POINTS
- Soil acidity is becoming an emerging and significant issue throughout the Tatiara District and Coorong Council areas having a major constraint on crop and pasture production
- Soil acidity can affect sub-surface and sub-soils
- Soil pH should be tested in paddocks on a regular basis at 5 cm increments to at least 15 cm
- Soil acidity can be treated with the use of lime and / or soil modifications (such as ripping, delving, spading and clay spreading) provided that the underlying clay is alkaline
Soil acidity and treatment in the Tatiara District and Coorong Council areas.
It is estimated that a further 375,000 hectares of agricultural land in the area has the potential to become acidic over the next few decades assuming that the current farming practices continue and that soils are not adequately treated.
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