Key Message

• High and variable levels of salinity and sodicity in the subsoils of many Queensland soils

• Subsoil constraints effect the ability of the plant to extract water from the soil

• Crops differ in their ability to extract water from the soil

• Cereals extracted more water from the soil

• Chickpea appears to particularly sensitive to these subsoil constraints

• Bread wheat tolerate subsoil constraints better than durum wheat