Healthy Grassland Soils Pocketbook

Easy-to-follow visual guidelines for soil structure assessment with recommendations

Problem

How to assess grassland soils

Solution

Easy steps for assessment and recording or scores as well as suggestions how to avoid compaction and improve soil structure

Description

This pocketbook, based on work conducted by SRUC, Newcastle University and ADAS, aims develop an industry-recognised method to assessing grassland soils and to provide guidance on soil biology. It contains easy-to-follow guidelines and effective visuals on assessing, maintaining and improving soil structure. This covers surface assessment, soil extraction, soil type, how to identify soil structure and guidance on how to score to the state of the soil with photographs showing soil structure types. It also covers management options for poor soil structures including surface slitting and sward lifting and ploughing, and preventative measures, such preventing compaction, soil testing, maintaining field drainage and improvements for the biological activity in the soil.

Leaflets & guidelines

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Applicability

Theme

Crop production - Soil quality and fertility

Languages

English

Keywords

arable farming , permanent grasslands , soil fertility , soil properties , measuring instruments , monitoring and evaluation

Year of release

2015

Country of origin

United Kingdom

Issuing organisation

Contact

Emma.Heathcote(at)ahdb.org.uk

More information about the tool

More about the tool on Organic Eprints