Soil Fertility Guidelines

Soil fertility guidelines are used to interpret your soil test results, and to calculate the fertiliser requirements for a pasture. The soil fertility guidelines identify if soil nutrient levels are low, adequate or high in relation to the levels required for optimum pasture production. The optimum soil fertility level for a dairy pasture system is reached when the yield is between 95% and 98% of the maximum potential yield. Beyond this point further application of fertiliser is generally uneconomical. Numerous trials and research results have been used to calibrate soil test values against yield responses and to produce the soil fertility guidelines for each dairy region.

• More on plant nutrient requirements
• More on soil and tissue sampling
• More on interpreting soil and tissue tests

Important: Soil sampling depths and test methods used vary across Australia.

Victoria

Phosphorus, Potassium and Sulphur

• Soil Fertility Guidelines – Victoria

Western Australia

Phosphorus

• Managing phosphorus in dairy pastures
• Phosphorus for High rainfall pastures

Potassium

• Managing potassium in dairy pastures

Sulphur

• Managing sulphur in dairy Pastures

Tasmania

Phosphorus, Potassium, Sulphur and pH

• Soil Fertility Guidelines – Tasmania

Queensland

Phosphorus, Potassium and Sulphur

• Soil Fertility Guidelines – Queensland

New South Wales

Phosphorus, Potassium and Sulphur

• Soil Fertility Guidelines – New South Wales
• Improving Soil Management on Hunter Valley Dairy Farms

South Australia

Phosphorus, Potassium and Sulphur

• Soil Fertility Guidelines – South Australia