Defining and promoting soil health for sustainable production systems

Aims

• Develop a "hands-on" approach to assessing and improving soil health and productivity for non-specialists
• Explain soil health concepts
• Develop and implement a laboratory-based soil health/quality index based on field and laboratory assessments

Method

Workshops, use of locally adapted qualitative soil health "scorecards" for self-assessment at the field level, use of a quantitative soil health test kit for direct on-farm assessments to measure biological activity, infiltration, bulk density, aggregate stability, slaking, mineralisable nitrogen, pH, EC, earthworms and organic matter, together with nitrous oxide and CO2 lab analysis.

Publications and Resources

None listed

Citation

Land & Water Australia. 2009. Defining and promoting soil health for sustainable production systems. [Online] (Updated July 30th, 2009)
Available at: http://lwa.gov.au/node/3433 [Accessed Saturday 31st of July 2010 03:03:23 AM ].