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Crop rotation positively influences soil biology by providing diverse food sources that enhance microbial diversity, but these benefits only persist if the rotation is maintained

Herbicides temporarily reduce soil microbial activity but rarely eliminate it completely; impacts depend on application frequency, herbicide type, and soil management practices.

Soil microbes primarily live around plant roots, organic matter, and decomposing residues, thriving in moist soil pores and aggregates, mostly in the top 15 cm

Soil microbes begin recovering from drought within hours of moisture returning, with bacteria bouncing back quickly, fungi taking days to weeks, and nitrifying organisms around

Tillage temporarily reduces soil microbes, especially beneficial fungi, but strategic and occasional tillage can actually improve soil biology long-term by addressing other soil constraints.

Soil texture significantly affects crop growth by influencing water retention, nutrient storage, and drainage; lentils particularly prefer loamy soils due to their balanced moisture availability

Unchecked erosion on sandy soils can rapidly expand and degrade surrounding areas, so maintaining permanent vegetative cover, managing soil constraints, and minimising disturbance are essential

Sandy soils differ across South Australia due to variations in their geological origins, age, parent material, climate, and land management history, resulting in distinct properties

Deep ripping clay loams offers limited and unpredictable benefits, with potential risks of bringing hostile subsoil (dispersive, saline, or boron-rich) to the surface; a careful

Deep ripping dispersive soil is generally not recommended without gypsum, as benefits are short-lived and ripping may worsen dispersion, salinity, or boron issues.