Soil Nitrogen — Benchmark Detail

Benchmark Value

1500 mg/kg

Direction: Higher is desirable ↑

Form: Point

Scoring Curve

This curve shows how a field measurement for this indicator would score across all available benchmark forms in this context.

Evidence & Context

For Sandy Loam to Loam soils, a benchmark of 1500 mg/kg is established, based on a 20-year no-till research site.

Metric Definition:

Total Soil Nitrogen (TSN) in the topsoil (0-10 cm)

Benchmark Definition:

Total Soil Nitrogen concentration benchmark for Sandy Loam to Loam soils in the top 0-10 cm, representing a mature conservation agriculture system under no-till management.

Justification:

Derived from a 20-year no-till research site representing a mature conservation agriculture system.

Sources (1)

Strategic tillage of a long-term, no-till soil has little impact on soil characteristics or crop growth over five years Journal

Strategic tillage of a long-term, no-till soil has little impact on soil characteristics or crop growth over five years

View Source

Supporting Sources (1)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

Opportunities for improving soil carbon and nitrogen stocks in low and medium rainfall cropping systems - GRDC, accessed July 6, 2025,

Direct Evidence Government

GRDC Soil Health Stocktake (2024)

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Temperate Semi-Arid Shrublands & Open Woodlands
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Pristine Reference
Evidence Type ReferenceCondition

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 20 Mar 2026

Notes

This benchmark represents the Total Nitrogen (0.15%) measured in the 0-5 cm layer of a long-term (20-year) no-till system on a sandy-loam Red Chromosol, a system demonstrating high environmental health under best-practice conservation agriculture. No upper detrimental threshold — higher values are always better up to natural saturation.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TSW-AGR-SON family.