Sediment Loss and Runoff Responses to Tillage Practices at Douglas Daly, NT

M. Dilshad, J. A. Motha and L. J. Peel
Aust. Inst. Agric. Sci. (AIAS),
Surface runoff, soil and nutrient losses from farming systems in the Australian semi-arid tropics
M. Dilshad, J. A. Motha and L. J. Peel
Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, 36, 1003-12, Most soils suitable for dryland agriculture in north-west Australia occur in the Daly Basin. These are sesquioxidic soils which include red, yellow and grey earths. The potential, for these arable soils to be degraded by highly erosive rainfall, common to the regiion, is high. Farming practices stronglt influence the soil surface characteristics. In studies conducted during 1981-89 in the Daly Basin, conventionally tilled catchments, produced 1.5-2 times more runoff and lost 1.5-6 times more soil than their np-tillage counterparts.

The report produces details into the classification of arobic soils, the water holding capacity, and runoff and erosion of soils in the Daly Basin. The need for more research is also noted.