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.
Using this item
Reference: Les Molloy, Soils in the New Zealand landscape: the living mantle. Lincoln: New Zealand Society of Soil Science, 1988, plate 3.10
by Quentin Christie
This item has been provided for private study purposes (such as school projects, family and local history research) and any published reproduction (print or electronic) may infringe copyright law. It is the responsibility of the user of any material to obtain clearance from the copyright holder.