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(Source: Productive Solutions for Salinity, Land, Water and Wool)
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Salinity rating
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Indicator species
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Other indicators
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Low
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No limitation to desirable species
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Even growth of pasture. |
| Moderate |
Wimmera ryegrass (Lolium rigidum)
Water buttons (Cotula coronopifolia)
Windmill grass (Chloris truncata)
Wallaby grass (Danthonia eriantha)
Spiny rush (Juncus acutus)
Sea barley grass (Hordeum marinum)
Couch grass (Cynodon dactylon) |
Reduced growth in areas.
Clovers, capeweed disappear.
Grasses are pale from low nitrogen due lack of clovers and salt effects.
Generally no bare areas. |
| High |
Sea barley grass
Couch grass
Windmill grass
Spiny rush
Creeping brookweed (Samolus repens)
Ice plant (Mesembryanthemum crystallinum)
Australian salt grass (Distichlis distichiphylla)
Annual beard grass (Polypogon monspeliensis) |
White crystals may appear on the bare soil when the soil is dry.
Animal graze and lick salty areas.
Water in dams and drains may become very clear.
Watertable shallow (less than 1.0m).
Clay soils may have the appearance of being well structured. |
| Extreme |
Samphire (Halosarcia pergranulata)
Sea blite (Suaeda australis)
Trees will be dying. |
Areas of bare ground.
Sheet and gully erosion.
Water table at, or close to the soil surface. |
Use this tool in conjunction with SALTdeck - 50 colour cards to help you identify and select saltland plant species. Order SALTdeck cards from www.sainty.com.au and click on publications for details. Also download Saltland Solutions - options for saltland restoration (18MB), a manual for the treatment of saltland based on research from the Sustainable Grazing of Saline Land program.
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