Physical condition of surface soil mapping highlights areas where plant growth may be impeded due to poor surface soil structure, predominantly due to a condition known as hard setting. Mapping shows the proportion of land with surface soils susceptible to hard setting or sealing, while detailed proportion data are supplied for calculating respective areas of each physical condition of surface soil class (spatial data statistics).

Physical condition of soil provides an integrated view of various physical impediments to plant growth associated with surface soils, subsoils and other limitations (e.g. waterlogging, salinity, rockiness or steepness). Mapping shows the most limiting soil physical condition (provided it occupies at least 30% of a map unit), while detailed proportion data are supplied for calculating respective areas of each physical condition of soil class (spatial data statistics).

High natural levels of sodium, that are toxic to some plants, are typically associated with deep subsoil sodicity, high pH, high boron and moderate salinity, and occur mostly in drier parts of the state. Mapping shows the proportion of land with sodium toxicity in the upper 100 cm of soil, while detailed proportion data are supplied for calculating total land areas affected (spatial data statistics).

Physical crop rooting depth is a land quality which may impact upon a variety of agricultural land uses and is based on analysis and interpretation of the best available soil-landscape mapping dataset (DPIRD-027). See DAFWA Resource Management Technical Report 298 for a description of the qualities assessed and the methodology involved.

,These data provide field measurements at two geographical sites of plant and soil as affected by (a) tillage and water erosion and (b) replacement of translocated topsoil through soil-landscape rehabilitation. Data include pre-restoration soil properties, a digital elevation model, and tillage and water erosion estimates. Data reported after restoration include annual assessments of crop emergence, biomass and grain yield; soil physical, chemical, and biological properties; weed communities; and weather information. The Stevens County, Minnesota site was a heavily eroded site while the Roberts County, South Dakota site was moderately eroded. The data can be used to develop agronomic best management practices to improve crop production and to protect environmental and soil health. The data also could contribute to meta-analyses describing effects of erosion and soil-landscape rehabilitation (translocating soil from areas of net deposition to areas of net soil loss by erosion) on crop performance and changes in soil properties.,

Land use potential for Carrots: based on soil and landscape attributes only. The relative potential to sustain particular crops is predicted from expert assessment of plant requirements and available soil and land attribute mapping. No account has been taken of water quality or availability, climatic factors or existing land use. This spatial dataset is part of a series depicting the potential of land for a range of agricultural uses.