Australian growers manage approximately 60 per cent of this country’s landscape, and witness first-hand the role soil health plays in driving the productivity and sustainability of agricultural businesses. Vegetables Australia investigates a new soil health test that can help growers with their short- and long-term input decision making or correcting any issues in a cost-effective way, sustainable way.

With an increasing national focus on the importance of soil health, the question that’s front of mind for many Australian vegetable growers is how to achieve and maintain healthy soils within a productive and profitable farming system.

For senior agronomist with Incitec Pivot Fertilisers (IPF) Jim Laycock, the ability to measure and monitor the soil’s key biological, chemical and physical characteristics is essential to understanding and improving soil health.

Jim has been instrumental in the development of a new soil health test package from the Nutrient Advantage Laboratory, designed to help growers better measure and manage their soil health.

“The package comprises four tests and looks at the total carbon and total nitrogen, and C:N ratio of soils, as well as aggregate slaking and dispersion, active carbon and microbial respiration,” Jim says.

“When taken together, these four quite simple tests can yield very useful insights that can be addressed in the short-term and over time, longer term.”

With soil health being linked to total nitrogen, total carbon and active carbon levels, these tests can alert growers to shortcomings in their overall soil health – prompting practice changes to fix any problem areas.

The IPF trial site near Grenfell, New South Wales.

Recent results from IPF’s trial site near Grenfell in New South Wales show how inputs and management can impact soil health over time.

Selected treatments were sampled and compared active carbon, organic carbon and total nitrogen in soil with just phosphorous applied versus with both phosphorous and nitrogen applied.

The results show both organic carbon and active carbon levels increased by 28 per cent with the addition of nitrogen, and an increase in total nitrogen from 0.09 per cent to 0.115 per cent.

“The higher the total nitrogen levels in the soil profile, the more potential there is for mineral nitrogen cycling,” Jim says.

“The more you can grow, the higher your yields will be – but you’re also then able to achieve greater levels of biomass, which retains and builds carbon and nitrogen levels in your soil. It’s a simple equation, but higher nitrogen and carbon levels lead to higher rates of microbial activity – and ultimately healthier soils.”

Grenfell trial results.

Supporting decision making

While increasing data on overall soil health is the first step to improvement, Jim believes the recommendations and guidance that come with it is critical.

“The real value for growers is in having support around their decision making,” Jim says.

“The Nutrient Advantage soil health package delivers tailored recommendations alongside its laboratory data test results.

“The decision support system is invaluable for growers as they go about both identifying and then correcting any issues or barriers to soil health.”

For over 50 years, Nutrient Advantage has been Australia’s leading provider of nutrient analysis and expertise as well as helping growers manage their input requirements in a cost-effectively way.

The soil health package has been developed to help growers better measure and manage their soil health, boosting their productivity today while safeguarding the sustainability of their businesses into the future.

It is recommended the tests be repeated every two to three years at the same time of year. Using the Health1 code, they can be ordered as a standalone package for $80.00 or added to any existing Nutrient Advantage test order for $70.00.

Find out more

To order the soil health package or for further details, please visit soilhealthtesting.com.au or call 1800 803 453.