Story: Soils

Allophanic soil (1st of 2)

Allophanic soil

Crumbly and free-draining, these volcanic soils in the southern Waikato basin are some of the most productive in New Zealand. However, their allophane content, which holds phosphate in a form only slowly available to plants, means that relatively large amounts of phosphate fertiliser are needed for high dairy or crop production.

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Massey University
Reference: Les Molloy, Soils in the New Zealand landscape: the living mantle. Lincoln: New Zealand Society of Soil Science, 1988, plate 3.10
Photograph by Quentin Christie

© New Zealand Society of Soil Science

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How to cite this page:

Allan Hewitt, 'Soils - Wet and rock type-dominated soils', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/12336/allophanic-soil (accessed 13 May 2024)

Story by Allan Hewitt, published 24 Sep 2007