The latest information about sodic and alkaline soil will be available to Western Australian growers and industry representatives in a new digital publication launched by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) today (24 August) at the 2022 Dowerin GWN7 Machinery Field Days.

Soil Quality: 8 Sodic and Alkaline Soil is the eighth in a series of ebooks produced by SoilsWest, which focus on soil quality for WA. The series includes current knowledge on identifying constraints and best practice soil management in an easy-to-navigate format – allowing readers to choose the level of detail they require.

GRDC and SoilsWest – a research partnership between Murdoch University and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) – worked together to publish the free ebook.

SoilsWest Director, Murdoch University Associate Professor Frances Hoyle, says that the publications have enormous value in providing a legacy of the current state of knowledge, scientific evidence and grower experiences to help landholders manage soil constraints – appealing to aspiring scientists, growers, consultants and academics both in Australia and internationally.

“There is a growing realisation that the soil resource is a key mitigation tool influencing climate change, as well as underpinning the production of food, feed, fibre, and fuel,” Professor Hoyle says.

“Soil makes up the very foundation of where we live and play – providing key functions that underpin agriculture and sustain the environment.”

Presenting the new ebook at the official launch, GRDC Western Panel Chair Darrin Lee says the series was created in response to grower and industry demand for a platform that enabled them to read, listen and view soil management information from any location, including the tractor.

“Some of the most valuable learnings we pick up as growers is by peer-to-peer learning. This series of e-books is an incredible collection of information and case studies that are intuitive and insightful,” Mr Lee says.

“You’ll be able to find something that suits your farming environment. There’s so much applicable knowledge that you can draw from these publications.

“Given the impressive breadth of soils research that has been undertaken in WA by the SoilsWest partnership, these ebooks are an easily accessible way to build further knowledge for growers who are looking to better understand their soil profiles.”

The impact of constraints associated with sodicity and alkalinity, such as soil structure and stability, transient salinity and waterlogging, are explained in animations, illustrations, video and case studies to help readers to understand the causes, characteristics and processes involved. The ebook provides a practical manual for growers wanting to optimise management solutions.

In the publication, authors Ed Barrett-Lennard (DPIRD, Murdoch University), David Hall (DPIRD), Wayne Parker (DPIRD) and Rushna Munir (DPIRD) outline the complex nature and extent of sodic and alkaline soil in WA, which make up about 60 per cent of the 18 million arable hectares in Western Australia.

“These soils are usually either gradational or duplex (texture contrast) soils, with a clay content greater than 20 per cent,” Mr Hall says.

“Accumulation of salts from rainfall can cause changes in soil structure and stability leading to constraints, such as transient salinity, waterlogging and soil crusting.

“It is critical that growers understand and develop strategies to optimise the influence of the environment and management on soil habitats to sustain soil production and resilience.”

DPIRD Soil Science and Crop Nutrition Portfolio Manager Chris Gazey says the new publication would add further value to the SoilsWest ebook series, which included Soil Quality: 1 Constraints to Plant Production, 2 Integrated Soil Management, 3 Soil Organic Matter, 4 Soil Acidity, 5 Soil Biology, 6 Soil Compaction, and 7 Soil Water Repellence.

“This series provides a legacy of information from past and current investments by the GRDC, DPIRD, Murdoch University and UWA, as well as contributions from the CSIRO, growers and industry experts, with future ebooks planned to cover soil nutrition and gravel soil,” Mr Gazey says.

The Soil Quality: 8 Sodic and Alkaline Soil ebook is available at no cost via Apple Books, along with the first seven publications in the series.