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Soil attributes
Explore an underground world

Learn about what’s going in soil and why.
Understand soil properties and processes

The Soil attributes section contains information on different topics within soil biology, physics or chemistry. Pages within these topics present an overview of the current state of knowledge, explain the principles and properties of different soil attributes, and highlight insights from research and resources like case studies. Resources are suggested throughout these Pages.
- View all soil attributes
Soil management
Looking after soil for long-term sustainability

Protecting and conserving a critical resource.
Discover and apply best practice soil management

Soil management focuses on practical advice and guidelines to improve soil management. This information discusses how soil management integrates into different farming systems and considers different options that may be available to improve soil quality. Resources are linked throughout Soil Management pages.
- View all Soil management
- Controlled traffic farming
- Strategic tillage
- Soil amendments
- Agricultural lime
- Fertiliser
Soil analysis & testing
Dig deeper with analytical insights and data

Support better decision making and create value with soil monitoring and testing.
Learn how soil testing and monitoring can unlock potential

Soil analysis & testing provides information on how soil attributes and properties are measured and tested, as well as guidance on how to analyse and interpret soil test results and set up soil sampling and monitoring.
- View all Soil analysis and testing
- Soil sampling
- Soil groups
- Testing soil colour
- Testing soil texture
- Testing soil structure
- Testing soil nutrients
- Identifying soil constraints
- Measuring soil organic carbon
- Understanding trial results and on-farm experimentation
Resources
Curated collection of high-quality, evidence-based soil information

The knowledge you need, all in one place.
Explore our collection of videos, case studies, fact sheets, tools, journal articles, links and more.

The Resources section lets user explore and access a curated selection of additional resources for soil information and management. These Resources can be searched, and filtered by topic(s), format, date, and organisation so you can find what you’re looking for, or discover something new.
- Videos
- Case studies
- Fact sheets
- Reports
- Journal articles
- Tools
- External links
- Books
- Ebooks
- View all

Explore Understand Manage

High quality information and resources to learn about and manage soil - all in one place. Explore evidence-based knowledge and information from scientific research and management guidance from farmers and industry.

Soil information to understand, diagnose and manage a vital resource

The Soil Quality Knowledge Base is a compendium of soil information with summaries of our current evidence base of soil knowledge alongside guidance and resources for effective soil management and understanding soil testing and analysis.

Soil information has been compiled and integrated from decades of soil research and scientific evidence, with peer-reviewed contributions from hundreds of researchers, farmers and advisors and partner organisations.

Explore soil knowledge About the Soil Quality Knowledge Base

Understanding and managing soil

Local to global

Soil quality is critical to the entire planet. Most of the soil information applies to a range of regions and environments around the world, with a focus on soil properties and management in Western Australia.

Evidence-based

Soil information has been compiled from peer-reviewed and evidence-based knowledge originating from independent research and education institutions and industry organisations.

One-stop-shop

Explore a range of resources for soil information and management in videos, case studies, illustrations, fact sheets, research publications, books, guides and more.

Synthesis of knowledge

Bringing together soil information from published research, the Soil Quality ebook series, first-hand landholder and industry perspectives, and grey literature to create a living legacy of soil knowledge.

Find out more about the information sources behind the Soil Quality Knowledge Base.

Video

Processes of soil nutrient supply to plant roots

02:36

Professor Richard Bell explains how plant roots take up nutrients from the soil by diffusion, mass flow, and interception.

Nitrous oxide greenhouse gas emissions from dryland cropping soil

Soil management

5 min read

Quantifying the extent and timing of nitrous oxide emissions.

Video

A ‘systems’ approach to managing sodic and alkaline soil

Soil management

03:10

A combination of crop choice, water harvesting, gypsum application, maximising soil cover and no livestock, and then maintaining the...

By topic

By type

Video

Visualising the mass of soil microorganisms

Soil biological fertility

03:28

Carbon, nitrogen, sulphur and phosphorus can be measured to calculate the weight of the microbial biomass.

Variable rate application of fertiliser

Soil management

4 min read

Investigating how to improve the efficiency of nitrogen fertiliser using variable rate application.

Video

Soil water repellence: the essentials

Soil water repellence

02:33

This video provides an outline of the causes, impacts and management of soil water repellence.

Video

A simple method to visualise the amount of sand, silt, clay and organic matter in a soil sample

Soil organic matter

01:26

Laboratory demonstration to help observe soil organic matter.

Video

Dispersion of clay plates by sodium in soil

Sodic and alkaline soil

03:08

This animation shows how sodium influences soil dispersion.

Mulches – examples of impact

Sodic and alkaline soil

Benefits of surface mulches