The SOILpak series aims to provide a range of best soil management practices to optimise crop and pasture yields.

SOILpak is intended for:

• managers who want to learn more about how to manage their soil
• consultants and extension officers who wish to become more skilled in advising their clients on soil management.

The table of contents appears below.

Contents

Preface

Part A. Introduction
       A1. The aim of this manual
       A2. The ideal soil for cotton
       A3. District soil management problems

Part B. Quick help
       B1. Trouble-shooting guide
       B2. Soil preparation after a dry cotton harvest
       B3. Harvesting cotton on wet soil
       B4. Soil preparation options after a wet cotton harvest
       B5. Soil preparation options after a rotation crop
       B6. Nursing a cotton crop in a damaged soil
       B7. Applying nutrients to the soil
       B8. Managing variable fields
       B9. Soil survey for development or redevelopment
       B10. Soil preparation after landforming
       B11. Cotton soil management and the environment
       B12. Case studies

Part C. Diagnosing soil condition
       C1. Soil pit digging: where, how and when?
       C2. Features of the description sheets
       C3. Soil moisture (before tillage), soil texture and available water
       C4. Structural condition
       C5. Structure after rotation crops and tillage
       C6. Stubble
       C7. Salinity
       C8. Other tests
       C9. Using moisture probe data
       C10. Monitoring soil condition

Part D. Practical soil management: after the diagnosis
       D1. Avoiding soil structure and waterlogging problems
       D2. Improving soil structure
       D3. Managing nutrients
       D4. Avoiding salinity problems
       D5. Minimising erosion and pesticide movement
       D6. Maximising water use efficiency
       D7. Achieving a suitable pH
       D8. Dealing with gilgais
       D9. Red soil management
       D10. Extra notes for dryland growers

Part E. Background information
       E1. Australian cotton soil
       E2. Compaction and hardsetting
       E3. Effects of sodicity and salinity on soil structure
       E4. Clay minerals
       E5. Organic matter and soil biota
       E6. How soil structure and temperature affect plant growth
       E7. Water movement

Appendixes
       1. Sources of information
       2. Further reading
       3. More case studies are needed
       4. Unit conversion
       5. Glossary—soil management terminology
       6. Soil pit description sheets
       7. QDPI photo standards for stubble cover