Fact Sheet 5: Properties of a healthy soil

Friability

• Good stable aggregates

• Allows free movement of air and water

• Easily worked

• Allows root penetration

For more information on Friability, see unit 6.2 Soil Structure and Friability.

Freedom from Barriers

• Physical - hard pans, sheet rock

• Chemical - salinity, boron toxicity, chemical residues

For more information on Freedom from Barriers, see unit 6.1 Freedom from Barriers

 Storage of Water and Nutrients

• Too much = waterlogging and toxicity

• Too little = stress and deficiencies

For more information on water and nutrients storage, see unit 2.1 Storage of Water and Nutrients (part 1). 

Resistance to Erosion

• Loss of topsoil by wind and water = loss of biota, nutrients, organic matter and structure

For more information on Freedom from Barriers, see unit 1.3 Erosion Potentia.

Biologically Active

• A two-way relationship exists between Soil Biota and Agriculture

For more information on Soil Biota, see unit 4.2 Biological Activity.

Free from Pests and Diseases

• Many root, stem and leaf pests and diseases are harboured in soil

For more information on freedom from pests and disease, see unit 4.7 Soil Disease and Suppressive Soils

Fact Sheet 5: Properties of a healthy soil

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