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

High ESP results often reflect interference from soluble sodium in saline soils; requesting a pre-wash test can provide a more accurate measure of exchangeable sodium.

Sodic soils contain high sodium (ESP ≥6% in topsoil), while dispersive soils lose structure when wet; although related, not all sodic soils disperse and not

Triticale and selected oat varieties perform best on dispersive soils, but suitable crop choices depend on associated issues like salinity, sodicity, and waterlogging.

Gypsum improves dispersive clay soil structure by temporarily suppressing sodium-induced dispersion and replacing sodium ions with calcium over time.

Test soil dispersion by placing soil aggregates in distilled water – cloudy water indicates dispersive soil, while clear water with aggregate crumbling indicates slaking.

Use lime to effectively raise soil pH, as gypsum has minimal impact on acidity and is more suitable for dispersive soils or as a sulphur

Soil testing three to four years after liming accurately reflects lime effectiveness and indicates if further application is necessary.

Sandy soils acidify faster due to low pH buffering capacity, while clay-rich soils acidify slower but require more lime to correct acidity.

Legume crops acidify soils faster than cereals, but nitrogen fertilisers, high-yielding crops, and practices like hay cutting significantly accelerate soil acidification.