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Department of Primary Industries

and Regional Development

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NSW Primary Industries Schools Program

Industry Insights - Soils

These resources allow students to discover Australian soils. Content covered includes:

Soil physical properties
- soil horizons
- soil colour
- soil texture
- soil structure
- bulk density
- soil porosity
Soil chemical properties
- soil pH
- Ion Exchange Capacity (IEC)
- soil nutrients (macro and micro nutrients)
- fertilisers

Soil biological properties
- soil organic matter
- soil carbon
- soil microbes and invertebrates
- nutrient cycles
Sustainable soil management
- land degradation issues
- managing soil fertility
- land capability
- sustainability and profitability
Soil science careers
Past HSC revision questions

These resources are aligned to Stage 5 and 6 NSW Agriculture syllabus, and ACARA syllabus.

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Soils poster

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Soils worksheets.pdf

Soils TP.jpg

Soils answer guide.pdf

Purchase the poster

Posters are available in A1 size for $35 including postage and handling. Follow the link to order a copy. Or buy a set of Industry insight posters for a discounted price.

Careers with soils

Careers with soils

Careers with soils

Watch Now

Other DPIRD resources

NSW DPIRD Soils resources

Soils management guides

NSW DPIRD Irrigation resources

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Matching irrigation layouts to soil type- poster

High yielding irrigated wheat poster

Irrigation Scheduling poster

NSW DPIRD Soils Network of Knowledge (SNoK) webinars

Private video

38:44

Private video

What do agronomists need to know about plant sampling for better crops and pasture? Join Dr Doris Blaesing and Dr Chris Dowling to learn how plant sampling can guide your horticultural and broadacre crop and pasture nutrition programs, best practice sampling methods and how the Fertcare Plant Sampling Guide can help.

Plant Sampling for Nutrient Analysis

31:22

Plant Sampling for Nutrient Analysis

Following on from previous webinars about NSW DPI's subsoil constraints research work, in this webinar Shihab outlines NSW DPI's work in identifying phenotypic traits associated with the waterlogging tolerance of wheat especially under dispersive sodic subsoil condition. He covers field-based research focusing on: 1. Screening wheat genotypes for minimising yield gaps in sodic dispersive soils. 2.Genotypic variability of wheat in response to transient waterlogging tolerance in sodic dispersive soils.

Improving wheat yield in sodic, dispersive and transient waterlogged soils through variety selection

48:25

Improving wheat yield in sodic, dispersive and transient waterlogged soils through variety selection

The use of organic amendments such as composts and manures in agricultural production can be traced back to at least the 3rd millennium BC. So, what have we learnt in the last 5000 years? Are the benefits of compost just its nutrient value, or is there more? In this webinar Dr. Lukas van Zwieten examines some recent literature on the topic with the use of meta-analysis to critically evaluate published long-term studies across the globe.

Unraveling the role of organic amendments in modern agriculture

51:12

Unraveling the role of organic amendments in modern agriculture

Belinda Hackney outlines : How to get started with hardseeded legumes - matching legumes to soil and climate; Hard seed formation and breakdown - know how to use it to your advantage; Summer sowing - get your pasture sowing sorted before the winter cropping program and Value of hardseeded legumes to crop and livestock systems

Hardseeded legumes in rotation

31:41

Hardseeded legumes in rotation

This presentation explains how the South East LLS is using Farm Forecaster to keep up to date on soil moisture. Farm forecaster is a decision support tool that helps producers assess current seasonal conditions and the likely range in pasture availability and livestock performance in the following 3-4 months.

Farm forecaster

01:00:35

Farm forecaster

This presentation covers the physical, chemical, and biological changes in the soil after application of biochar and compost amendments separately and in combination, for both production and natural resource management perspectives. The impacts on crop yield and quality are also be discussed. Speaker, Justine Cox has been evaluating biochars and composts over the last ten years in a range of horticultural crops and soils.

Biochar and compost soil amendments in horticultural production: short and longer term impacts

51:26

Biochar and compost soil amendments in horticultural production: short and longer term impacts

Coming out of an extended drought is a critical time for pasture management. Welcome rain offers the chance to refill soil profiles and initiate pasture growth. However, the species and ground cover in the pasture significantly impact how efficiently we capture rain and store it as soil water. The amount of captured rain helps to predict our future pasture growth. In this webinar, Sean will use the soil water balance to explore how different pasture types and densities have responded to rainfall events as we come out of the drought. For examples, Sean will use data from current and historical pasture experiments from Northern NSW.

Soils physics- Principles and practice

Soil water basics - Dr Jason Condon

09:32

Soil water basics - Dr Jason Condon

A presentation on the fundamental principles underlying the study of water in soils by Dr Jason Condon of Charles Sturt University to members of Soil Science Australia at a Soil Physics workshop at held on 23 June 2022 at Charles Sturt University, Wagga, NSW

Soil Bulk Density - Dr Peter Bacon

10:39

Soil Bulk Density - Dr Peter Bacon

A presentation on the fundamentals of soil bulk density, its importance to soil water content, and how it is measured delivered by Dr Peter Bacon to members of Soil Science Australia at a Soil Physics workshop on the 23 June 2022 at Charles Sturt University, Wagga, NSW.

The Soil Moisture Characteristic - Dr Richard Greene

10:00

The Soil Moisture Characteristic - Dr Richard Greene

A presentation on the fundamentals of the soil moisture characteristic, what it is, and how it is measured and interpreted delivered by Dr Richard Greene to members of Soil Science Australia at a Soil Physics workshop on the 23 June 2022 at Charles Sturt University, Wagga, NSW

Relating soil condition to a plant response - Sam North

20:32

Relating soil condition to a plant response - Sam North

A presentation on the importance of relating soil physical measurements to a plant response when determining limitations to production delivered by Sam North to members of Soil Science Australia at a Soil Physics workshop on the 23 June 2022 at Charles Sturt University, Wagga, NSW

Measuring soil physical properties - Dr Cliff Hignett

14:49

Measuring soil physical properties - Dr Cliff Hignett

A presentation on the most practical and effective field and laboratory methods for assessing soil physical properties delivered by Dr Cliff Hignett of Soil Water Solutions to members of Soil Science Australia at a Soil Physics workshop on the 23 June 2022 at Charles Sturt University, Wagga, NSW

Soil compaction, water availability & stress - Dr Guna Nachimuthu

18:18

Soil compaction, water availability & stress - Dr Guna Nachimuthu

A presentation on how continuously monitoring crop canopy temperature, soil profile moisture and crop yield in individual crop rows can be used to determine the effect of compaction due to in-field traffic in cotton farming systems. It was delivered by Dr Guna Nachimuthu to members of Soil Science Australia at a Soil Physics workshop on the 23 June 2022 at Charles Sturt University, Wagga, NSW.

Methods to predict plant available water capacity - Dr Mark Glover

22:26

Methods to predict plant available water capacity - Dr Mark Glover

A presentation of methods of predicting plant available water capacity on Australian farms where there is no APSoil characterisation delivered by Dr mark Glover to members of Soil Science Australia at a Soil Physics workshop on the 23 June 2022 at Charles Sturt University, Wagga, NSW

Calibrating capacitance moisture sensors & mapping soil moisture - Dr Brendan Malone

21:01

Calibrating capacitance moisture sensors & mapping soil moisture - Dr Brendan Malone

A presentation on the calibration of capacitance soil moisture sensors on a case study farm at Boorowa, NSW, and how the sensor data was combined with digital maps to create farm maps of available water. This was delivered by Dr Brendan Malone to members of Soil Science Australia at a Soil Physics workshop on the 23 June 2022 at Charles Sturt University, Wagga, NSW

Managing soil acidity in the cropping zone – Jason Condon (DPI) | Riverina Pastures Research Update

36:11

Managing soil acidity in the cropping zone – Jason Condon (DPI) | Riverina Pastures Research Update

Jason Condon (DPI) gives us an overview of key data from recent soil surveys and the major GRDC project on subsoil acidity to highlight the most cost-effective ways to manage soil acidity, and how much lime is required. Recorded at the Wagga Pastures Research Update 2021. Proudly funded by the NSW Government in association with Local Land Services and the NSW Department of Primary Industries.

A rapid check for subsurface acidity in the field

06:13

A rapid check for subsurface acidity in the field

How to use Dig Stick in the paddock, how to identify acid soil impacts on plant root growth

Accurate soil sampling to 20cm in 5cm intervals

06:39

Accurate soil sampling to 20cm in 5cm intervals

How to take accurate soil samples

Soil Acidity

01:24:14

Soil Acidity

Soil acidity is a major constraint to agricultural productivity. Research in the late 1900s led to the extension of management solutions for growers to combat the problem. However our farming systems have evolved and the way we look at acidity needs to keep pace with those changes in order to ensure we have productive and resilient farming systems. This webinar will examine the evolution of what we know about acidity, how it is formed and the management strategies used to counteract it and how that is changing as farming moves into the 21st century.

This project has been supported by the Australian Government through funding to implement

the National Soil Action Plan

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