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Riverland irrigators urged to test for soil salinity before applying leaching irrigations

Thursday 7 June, 2007

Riverland irrigators have been urged to test for soil salinity before applying leaching irrigation.

Rural Solutions SA’s Principal Horticulture consultant Duncan Tullett says there are only three weeks left this irrigation year to make decisions on leaching applications.

“Now is the best time to apply leaching irrigations because the soil is already wet from rainfall and river salinity levels are increasing as flows decline,” he said.

“Not everyone will need to leach salt, but with reduced irrigation over the past season, there have been increases on some properties which are a cause for concern.”

Mr Tullett said that it was important to perform soil salinity analysis to identify patches requiring leaching.

“Growers who have applied for carry-over water into next season will need to decide if it is better to use some of that water before the end of June for leaching priority patches, or carry the water into next year,” he said.

Urgent actions needed to test priority patches:

    * Get a sample kit from the ACML or Agriexchange; there are clear instructions on sample collection with the kit.
    * Return samples to the laboratory analysis.
    * Interpret the results and decide which patches to leach

Laboratory results will take up to five days. Interpretation sheets are provided with the results.

ACML sample kits are available from the Loxton Research Centre, 85959100.

For AgriExchange (formerly Yandilla Park) Pty kits, call 85861281