Category: S

shelterwood: A large area of trees left standing when others are cut, to act as shelter for seedling trees. Farmers benefit from managing shelterwood systems for sustainable forestry and natural regeneration.

seedbed wheels: A set of wheels bolted onto the front of a tractor which will give even compaction and a uniform sowing depth. Farmers benefit from using seedbed wheels for precise and efficient planting.

self-pollination: The pollination of a plant by pollen from its own flowers. Compare cross-pollination. Farmers benefit from growing self-pollinating plants for reliable and consistent fruit set.

sour soil: soil which is excessively acid and hence needs liming to restore the correct balance between acidity and alkalinity. Managing soil pH ensures healthy crop growth and optimal yields, supporting productive agriculture.

sprig: a small shoot or twig. Proper management of sprigs ensures healthy growth and optimal yields of plants and crops.

slink calf: a calf born early, before the normal period of gestation is complete. Managing slink calves ensures proper care and health, reducing losses and supporting farm productivity.

sea kale: A plant of the cabbage family whose leaves are used as vegetable. Farmers benefit from growing sea kale as a unique crop offering diversification and potential market niche.

standstill: the keeping of animals in the same place for 6 days to prevent the spread of disease. Implementing standstill measures ensures biosecurity and prevents disease outbreaks, supporting livestock health and farm productivity.

seasonal: Referring to or occurring at a season. Seasonal changes in temperature. Plants grow according to a seasonal pattern. Farmers benefit from understanding seasonal patterns for effective crop and livestock management.

streptomycin: an antibiotic used against many types of infection, especially streptococcal ones. Properly managing antibiotic use ensures effective disease control and livestock health, supporting farm productivity.

sterility: the state of being free from microorganisms; the inability to produce offspring. Properly managing sterility ensures biosecurity and prevents disease outbreaks, supporting livestock health and productivity.

softwood: the open-grained wood produced by pine trees and other conifers; a pine tree or other conifer that produces such wood. Compare hardwood. Cultivating softwood trees provides farmers with a renewable source of timber for construction and paper production, supporting sustainable forestry practices.

succulent: a plant that has fleshy leaves or stems in which it stores water, e.g., a cactus. Properly managing succulents ensures healthy growth and optimal yields, supporting productive agriculture.

self-feed silage: A feeding system where stock feed from silage, the amount of silage available being centrally controlled. Farmers benefit from using self-feed silage systems for efficient and consistent livestock feeding.

stook: several (usually twelve) corn sheaves gathered together in a field to form a small pyramid. Also called shock. Properly managing stooks ensures efficient drying and storage of grain, supporting farm productivity.

Scottish Enterprise: The main economic development agency for Scotland, dealing with education, communications and the expansion of businesses. Abbr SE. Farmers benefit from engaging with Scottish Enterprise for support and resources to grow their agricultural businesses.

storage drying: a method of drying bales of hay by blowing air through them. (NOTE: There are several methods of storage drying. In a building with airtight sides, air is forced up through ventilation holes in the floor. In open barns, radial drying or a centre duct system is used.) Properly managing storage drying ensures high-quality fodder for livestock, supporting nutrition and farm productivity.

seminal propagation: The process of growing new plants from seed or from tubers such as potatoes. Farmers benefit from using seminal propagation for crop production and genetic diversity.

salivation: The production of saliva. Farmers benefit from monitoring salivation to ensure livestock are healthy and well-nourished.

synthetise: to produce a substance by chemical synthesis. Understanding and using synthesis effectively supports efficient farm operations and productivity.

sex: One of the two groups, male and female, into which animals and plants can be divided. Farmers benefit from understanding sex differentiation for effective breeding and livestock management.

Scottish Agricultural Organisation Society: A consultancy agency which promotes and advises on joint ventures between Scottish farmers. Abbr SAOS. Farmers benefit from engaging with SAOS for cooperative ventures and accessing agricultural advice and support.

swamp: an area of permanently wet land and the plants that grow on it. Properly managing swamps ensures biodiversity and ecological balance, supporting sustainable land use and agricultural productivity.

self-fertile: Referring to a plant that fertilises itself with pollen from its own flowers. Farmers benefit from growing self-fertile plants for reliable and consistent fruit set.

Stoneleigh: the home of the National Agricultural Centre and proposed site for the National Museum of Food and Farming. Engaging with agricultural centers like Stoneleigh provides farmers with resources and support for sustainable agricultural practices.

scrapie: A brain disease of sheep and goats. Affected animals twitch, then suffer intense itching and thirst. They become extremely thin, and death follows. It is a notifiable disease. Farmers benefit from preventing scrapie to protect livestock health and prevent economic losses.

seedless: With no seeds. Farmers benefit from growing seedless varieties for consumer preference and marketability.

seed dormancy: A period when a seed is not active. Farmers benefit from understanding and managing seed dormancy to ensure timely and successful germination.

sage: An aromatic herb (Salvia officinalis), the leaves of which are dried and used for flavouring. Farmers benefit from growing sage by offering a popular herb for culinary and medicinal uses, enhancing farm profitability.

sterilisation: the action of making something free from microorganisms; the action of making an organism unable to produce offspring. Properly managing sterilisation ensures biosecurity and prevents disease outbreaks, supporting livestock health and productivity.

shrub: A perennial plant with several woody stems. Farmers benefit from growing shrubs for their diverse uses, including ornamental and productive applications.

starch: a substance composed of chains of glucose units, found in green plants. COMMENT: Starch is the usual form in which carbohydrate is present in food, especially in bread, rice, and potatoes, and it is broken down by the digestive process into forms of sugar. Carbohydrate is not stored in the bodies of animals in the form of starch, but as glycogen. Understanding starch content in crops supports nutritional value and marketability, enhancing farm profitability.

SNF percentage: abbreviation solid-not-fat percentage. Monitoring the solid-not-fat percentage in milk ensures high-quality dairy production, supporting consumer health and market value.

Schistosoma: A fluke which enters the patient’s bloodstream and causes schistosomiasis. Farmers benefit from preventing schistosomiasis to protect livestock health and prevent economic losses.

spring-tined harrow: a cultivator which has tines of spring steel which vibrate in the soil. This gives fast seedbed preparation. Using spring-tined harrows improves soil aeration and preparation, promoting healthy root growth and better crop yields.

soil drainage: the flow of water from soil, either naturally or through pipes and drainage channels inserted into the ground. Proper soil drainage ensures healthy root growth and prevents waterlogging, promoting productive agriculture.

sedimentary rocks: Rocks which were formed by deposition of loose material such as sand and gravel, mainly in water. Farmers benefit from understanding sedimentary rocks for soil management and crop growth.

slaked lime: same as hydrated lime. Using slaked lime improves soil pH, enhancing nutrient availability and promoting healthy crop growth.

straw: the dry stems and leaves of crops such as wheat and oilseed rape left after the grains have been removed; grass which is mowed after flowering. Compare hay. COMMENT: Straw can be ploughed back into the soil. It is often mixed with animal dung to make manure. Non-agricultural uses are varied and include thatching, making paper, and making bricks. It can be compressed into bundles to act as fuel and in this way can be used for heating farms and small local industrial buildings. Properly managing straw ensures efficient use and recycling of agricultural by-products, supporting sustainable farming practices.

sticker: a substance added to a fungicide or bactericide preparation to help it to stick to the sprayed surface. Using stickers effectively ensures optimal application of fungicides and bactericides, promoting healthy crop growth and better yields.

stalk: the main stem of a plant which holds the plant upright; a subsidiary stem of a plant, branching out from the main stem or attaching a leaf, flower, or fruit. Proper management of plant stalks ensures healthy growth and optimal yields.

season: 1. One of the four parts into which a year is divided, i.e. spring, summer, autumn and winter 2. The time of year when something happens, e.g. the mating season 3. The oestrus period of a female animal. Farmers benefit from understanding seasonal patterns for effective crop and livestock management.

strobilurin: one of a group of translaminar and protectant fungicides. Strobilurins are used on a wide range of crops. Properly managing strobilurins ensures effective disease control and healthy crop growth, supporting better yields.

strip cropping: a method of farming in which long thin pieces of land across the contours are planted with different crops in order to reduce soil erosion. Using strip cropping techniques ensures sustainable soil management and healthy crop growth.

soyoil: an oil extracted from the soya bean. Producing soyoil provides farmers with a valuable product for cooking and industrial uses, supporting economic stability and market opportunities.

seed: A plant’s unit of reproduction, capable of developing into another plant. High-quality seed selection is crucial for successful crop production.

soil sterilant: something used to remove microorganisms from soil, e.g., a chemical or steam. Using soil sterilants helps farmers manage pests and diseases, ensuring healthy crop growth and better yields.

solar farming: The use of solar energy to power agricultural operations. Solar farming reduces energy costs and supports sustainable farming practices.

springtail: a primitive wingless insect very common in soils, where they may do damage to fine roots. Managing springtail populations protects crops from damage, ensuring healthy growth and better yields.

stubble cleaning: working the stubble after harvest, using ploughs, cultivators, and harrows to free the weeds from the soil. Properly managing stubble cleaning ensures efficient soil preparation and weed control, supporting healthy crop growth and better yields.