Bare Ground — Benchmark Detail

Benchmark Value

40 %

Direction: Lower is desirable ↓

Form: UpperThreshold

Scoring Curve

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

Evidence & Context

This establishes a legal maximum of 40% bare ground for this specific crop within the target biome.

Metric Definition:

Bare Ground (%) represents the percentage of the soil surface not covered by living vegetation or non-living organic litter.

Benchmark Definition:

The legally mandated maximum bare ground allowed for banana cultivation in Wet Tropics catchments.

Justification:

Established by the Queensland Government's Reef protection regulations to protect water quality in the Great Barrier Reef catchment.

Sources (1)

Preview of Ground Covers and Weed Management for Regenerative Farming and Ranching, accessed July 18, 2025,

Ground Covers and Weed Management for Regenerative Farming and Ranching, accessed July 18, 2025, GreyLiterature

Amberly Farm John and Carol Lilleyman - Soils For Life, accessed July 7, 2025

View Source

Supporting Sources (31)

Additional references from the underlying research that informed this benchmark.

4. Tillage in Horticulture - Agronomy Australia Proceedings, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

4. Tillage in Horticulture - Agronomy Australia Proceedings, accessed July 18, 2025,

View Source

Preview of Accumulation of soil carbon under zero tillage cropping and perennial vegetation on the Liverpool Plains, eastern Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025,

Accumulation of soil carbon under zero tillage cropping and perennial vegetation on the Liverpool Plains, eastern Australia - ResearchGate, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Accumulation of soil carbon under zero tillage cropping and perennial vegetation on the Liverpool Plains, eastern Australia - ResearchGate

View Source

Agricultural ERA standard for banana cultivation - version 2, accessed July 18, 2025,

Regulatory Framework Journal

Requirements for graziers | Environment, land and water | Queensland Government

View Source

Benefits and Challenges of Cover Crop Use - Purdue Agriculture, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support

Benefits and Challenges of Cover Crop Use - Purdue Agriculture

View Source

Can legumes provide greater benefits than ... - CSIRO Publishing, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support

Can legumes provide greater benefits than ... - CSIRO Publishing

View Source

Cavendish Bananas - Banana Growing Guide - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Government

Soil Health Program | Boost Sugarcane Productivity

View Source

Ch 10. Cover Crops - SARE, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil health for vegetable production in Australia - Department of Primary Industries, Queensland

View Source

Preview of Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space-for-time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 5, 2025,

Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a space-for-time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia - CSIRO Publishing, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Ludwig, J.A., Bastin, G.N., Chewings, V.H., Eager, R.W., and Liedloff, A.C. (2005). Clearing savannas for use as rangelands in Queensland: Altered landscapes and water-erosion processes. Rangeland Journal, 27(2), 135-149.

View Source

High-Residue Cover Crops | AgroClimate, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Starting / Enhancing Your Regenerative Agriculture Journey

View Source

Impact of Cover Crops on Insect Community Dynamics in Organic Farming - MDPI, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support

Impact of Cover Crops on Insect Community Dynamics in Organic Farming - MDPI

View Source

Impact of Cover Crops on Natural Enemies and Pests - SARE, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support

Impacts of crop residues on soil health: a review - Taylor & Francis Online

View Source

Impacts of crop residues on soil health: a review - Taylor & Francis Online, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support

Impacts of crop residues on soil health: a review - Taylor & Francis Online, accessed July 18, 2025,

View Source

Landscape rehydration and regenerative agriculture improves soil health, accessed July 30, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Soil Health and Regenerative Agriculture - Southern Queensland Landscapes, accessed July 27, 2025,

View Source

Maintaining groundcover to reduce erosion and sustain production - NSW Department of Primary Industries, accessed July 22, 2025,

Direct Evidence Journal

Lang, D. (1979). Groundcover for pastures. Journal of Soil Conservation NSW.

View Source

Monitoring ground cover: an online tool for Australian regions - eo-data.csiro.au, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Erosion and sediment yields in the Kakadu region of northern Australia - INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF HYDROLOGICAL SCIENCES

View Source

Monitoring groundcover and soil degradation | Erosion | Soil | Farm ..., accessed May 11, 2025

Direct Evidence Government

Monitoring groundcover and soil degradation | Erosion - Agriculture Victoria

View Source

Monitoring groundcover: an online tool for Australian regions - CSIRO Research Publications Repository, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support

Monitoring ground cover: an online tool for Australian regions - eo-data.csiro.au

View Source

Preview of Opportunities and Challenges for Cover Cropping in Sustainable Agriculture Systems in Southern Australia - MDPI, accessed July 18, 2025,

Opportunities and Challenges for Cover Cropping in Sustainable Agriculture Systems in Southern Australia - MDPI, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Developments in stubble retention in cropping systems in southern Australia, accessed July 27, 2025

View Source

Predicting nitrogen cycling and losses in Australian cropping systems - GRDC, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support

Water and Nitrogen Balance in Natural and Agricultural Systems in the Wet Tropics of North Queensland: A Review - Australian Banana Growers' Council

View Source

Rainforests – Australia's green cathedrals - CSIROpedia, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Tillage in Horticulture - Agronomy Australia Proceedings

View Source

Reducing erosion and other soil degradation in macadamia orchards, accessed July 18, 2025,

Irrelevant

Reducing erosion and other soil degradation in macadamia orchards, accessed July 18, 2025,

View Source

Reef protection regulations Banana Erosion and sediment control guide Version 2 - Queensland Government, accessed July 18, 2025,

Regulatory Framework Journal

Repairing gully erosion in Western Australia - Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, accessed July 27, 2025,

View Source

Requirements for graziers | Environment, land and water | Queensland Government, accessed July 30, 2025,

Regulatory Framework Government

Reef protection regulations Grazing guide Version 2 - Queensland Government, accessed July 18, 2025

View Source

Soil Carbon Snapshot - Agriculture Victoria, accessed August 5, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Soil Carbon Snapshot - Agriculture Victoria

View Source

Soil health for vegetable production in Australia - Department of Primary Industries, Queensland, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Journal

Understanding soil tests for pastures | Soil | Farm management ..., accessed July 18, 2025,

View Source

Soil Health Program | Boost Sugarcane Productivity, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support

National Soil Strategy, accessed July 16, 2025,

View Source

Soil management in orchards - Archive, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support

Soil management in orchards - Archive

View Source

Starting / Enhancing Your Regenerative Agriculture Journey, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support Direct Evidence GreyLiterature

Regenerative Agriculture - a literature review on the practices and mechanisms used to improve soil health, accessed July 7, 2025,

View Source

Suitable methods of tillage for the farm, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support GreyLiterature

Suitable methods of tillage for the farm

View Source

Preview of Water and Nitrogen Balance in Natural and Agricultural Systems in the Wet Tropics of North Queensland: A Review - Australian Banana Growers' Council, accessed July 18, 2025,

Water and Nitrogen Balance in Natural and Agricultural Systems in the Wet Tropics of North Queensland: A Review - Australian Banana Growers' Council, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support

Water and nitrogen balance in natural and agricultural systems in the NQ Wet Tropics

View Source

Water Use Limitations of Cover Crops in Dryland Cropping - CSANR, accessed July 18, 2025,

Contextual Support

Cavendish Bananas - Banana Growing Guide - NSW Department of Primary Industries

View Source

Context

Region Australia
Biome Tropical & Subtropical Rainforests
Land Use Agricultural Crop Production
Assessment Not Stated
Evidence Type RegulatoryTrigger

Lifecycle

Status Active
Version 1
Effective From 28 May 2026

Notes

Upper Detrimental Threshold: 40 %. Minimum legal standard for banana cultivation. AssessmentContext defaulted to 'Not Stated' because the source document did not state one.

Related Benchmarks

Other benchmarks in the AUS-TSR-AGR-BAR family.