Category: S

spraing: a disease of potatoes spread by nematodes in the soil. Managing spraing ensures healthy potato crops, preventing yield losses and maintaining quality.

stipule: one of the pair of wing-like growths at the base of a leaf stalk. Properly managing stipules ensures healthy growth and optimal yields of plants and crops.

sheep pox: A highly contagious viral disease. Symptoms include fever, loss of appetite, difficulty in breathing and in the final stages scabs and ulcers appear. It is a notifiable disease. Farmers benefit from preventing sheep pox to protect livestock health and prevent economic losses.

sativus: A Latin word meaning ‘sown’ or ‘planted’, used in the generic names of many plants. Farmers benefit from understanding sativus species for selecting appropriate crops for cultivation.

stewardship: the protection of the environment for the benefit of future generations of human beings by developing appropriate institutions and strategies. Implementing stewardship practices ensures sustainable management of land and resources, promoting long-term agricultural productivity.

shrubby: Growing like a shrub. Farmers benefit from understanding shrubby plants for better crop and landscape management.

strawberry: a soft fruit of the Fragaria species, used as a dessert fruit, but also preserved as jam. Growing strawberries provides farmers with high-value crops for fresh and processed markets, enhancing farm income and sustainability.

seedless hay: Hay obtained from a grass crop after threshing out the seedheads. Farmers benefit from using seedless hay for high-quality forage.

sodium chloride: common salt. Proper management of sodium chloride levels in livestock diets supports overall health and productivity.

snout: the nose and mouth of some animals, including the pig. Proper management of livestock snout health ensures overall animal well-being and productivity.

starter: a culture of bacteria, used to inoculate animals or to start growth in milk used in cheese production. Using starters effectively supports dairy production and cheese quality, enhancing farm income and market value.

syconium: a fleshy fruit consisting of an enlarged hollow receptacle with a number of tiny flowers on the inside. Understanding syconiums helps farmers manage fruit production and optimize yields.

sugar cane: a large perennial grass, whose stems contain a sweet sap. COMMENT: Sugar cane is rich in sucrose which is extracted and used for making sugar. Cane sugar is now one of the most scientifically produced tropical products, although cutting is still often done by hand. Cane is grown in many tropical and subtropical regions, in particular in the Caribbean. The principal sugar producers are Cuba, India, Brazil, China, Puerto Rico, and Hawaii for cane sugar, and Russia, the Ukraine, France, and Germany for beet sugar. Rum is a by-product of sugar cane. Properly managing sugar cane crops ensures healthy growth and high yields, supporting farm productivity and profitability.

smallholding: a small agricultural unit under 20 hectares in area. Managing smallholdings efficiently supports diverse and sustainable agricultural practices, contributing to local food security and economic resilience.

SRPBA: abbreviation Scottish Rural Property and Business Association. Engaging with the Scottish Rural Property and Business Association provides farmers with advocacy, resources, and support, helping them succeed in their operations.

subsoiler: a heavy cultivator consisting of a strong frame with long tines attached to it. It is used to break up compacted soil to allow free passage of air and water, a process called ‘subsoiling’. Using subsoilers ensures efficient soil aeration and structure, promoting healthy crop growth and better yields.

stock: animals or plants that are derived from a common ancestor; a plant with roots onto which a piece of another plant, the scion, is grafted; a supply of something available for future use. Properly managing stock ensures healthy growth and productivity in livestock and crop operations, supporting farm profitability and sustainability.

slash and burn agriculture: a form of agriculture in which forest is cut down and burnt to create open space for growing crops. Also called swidden farming. (NOTE: The space is abandoned after several crops have been grown and then more forest is cut down.) Understanding the environmental impact of slash and burn agriculture encourages farmers to adopt more sustainable practices, preserving forests and promoting long-term agricultural productivity.

spray: a mass of tiny drops of liquid; special liquid for spraying onto a plant to prevent insect infestation or disease; to send out a liquid in a mass of tiny drops; to send out a special liquid onto a plant to prevent insect infestation or disease. Using sprays effectively helps farmers manage pests and diseases, ensuring healthy crop growth and better yields.

sucrose: a sugar that is abundant in many plants, which consists of one molecule of glucose joined to one of fructose. Understanding sucrose content in crops supports nutritional value and marketability, enhancing farm profitability.

soil pH: A measure of the acidity or alkalinity of soil. Managing soil pH ensures optimal nutrient availability for crops.

stockman: a farm worker who looks after animals, especially cattle. (NOTE: Animal welfare codes lay down rules about how well-trained stockmen should be in order to ensure the good health and welfare of the animals or birds in their care.) Properly training and managing stockmen ensures livestock health and productivity, supporting farm profitability and ethical farming practices.

spike: a tall pointed flower head (inflorescence) in which small flowers without stalks grow from a central flower stem; a pointed end of a pole or piece of metal. Understanding the structure of spikes helps farmers manage plant growth and optimize yields.

suckle: to feed with milk from the udder. Properly managing suckling ensures optimal nutrition and health for young livestock, supporting productivity and well-being.

soft rot: a bacterium, Erwinia carotovora, which affects stored potatoes and carrots. The cell walls dissolve causing the vegetables to become mushy, slimy, and foul-smelling. Managing soft rot ensures healthy storage of root crops, preventing losses and maintaining quality.

seed coat: Same as testa. Farmers benefit from understanding seed coats for better seed handling and storage.

sweet corn: a type of maize in which the grains contain a large amount of sugar rather than starch. It is grown for human consumption. Also called corn on the cob. Properly managing sweet corn crops ensures healthy growth and high yields, supporting farm productivity and profitability.

sappy: Referring to tree trunks or branches, or wood, that are full of sap. Farmers benefit from recognizing sappy wood for identifying tree health and suitability for various uses.

silvicide: A substance which kills trees. Farmers benefit from using silvicides for managing unwanted tree growth and maintaining crop health.

staphylococcal: caused by staphylococci. Managing staphylococcal infections in livestock ensures health and productivity, supporting farm profitability.

stability: the state of being stable and not changing. Maintaining stability in agricultural practices supports consistent productivity and economic resilience for farmers.

sustainable yield: the greatest productivity that can be derived from a renewable resource without depleting the supply in a specific area. Properly managing sustainable yields ensures long-term productivity and resource conservation, supporting farm profitability and environmental health.

SVSSVS: abbreviation State Veterinary Service. Engaging with the State Veterinary Service ensures compliance with health and welfare regulations, supporting livestock productivity and farm sustainability.

SFPS: Single Farm Payment Scheme. Farmers benefit from engaging with SFPS for financial support and resources in farming operations.

sandstone: A sedimentary rock formed of round particles of quartz. Farmers benefit from recognizing sandstone presence for understanding soil characteristics and geological impacts on farming.

seconds: Grain of medium size. Farmers benefit from managing seconds to ensure high-quality grain production.

stolon: a stem that grows along the ground and gives rise to a new plant when it roots. Properly managing stolons ensures healthy plant propagation and optimal yields, supporting productive agriculture.

surface runoff: a flow of rainwater, melted snow, or excess fertiliser from the surface of land into streams and rivers. Properly managing surface runoff ensures water conservation and prevents soil erosion, supporting sustainable farming practices.

silvi-: Trees or woods. Farmers benefit from understanding silvi- related processes for sustainable forestry and crop management.

shearling: A young sheep which has been sheared for the first time. Farmers benefit from managing shearling sheep for efficient wool production and livestock growth.

spaced plant: a plant grown in a row so that its canopy does not touch or overlap that of any other plant. Properly spacing plants ensures healthy growth and reduces competition for resources, leading to better yields.

shed: 1. To separate one or more animals from a flock or herd 2. To let leaves or grain fall. Farmers benefit from managing shedding for livestock health and crop management.

shoe: To make, fit and fix horseshoes to the feet of a horse. Farmers benefit from shoeing horses for their protection and performance in farm work.

sludge composting: the decomposition of sewage for use as a fertiliser or mulch. Using sludge composting techniques provides farmers with a sustainable method for recycling waste and enhancing soil fertility.

straw chopper: a device fitted to the back of a combine which chops straw into short lengths and drops it on the stubble. Chopped straw is easier to plough in. Using straw choppers ensures efficient straw management and soil preparation, supporting productive agriculture.

swede: a vegetable (Brassica rutabaga) with a swollen root. An important forage crop, it is grown for feeding sheep and cattle, either in the field or as winter feed for housed livestock. Swedes have a slightly higher feeding value and keep better than turnips, so they are often lifted and clamped. Properly managing swede crops ensures healthy growth and high yields, supporting farm productivity and profitability.

scab: 1. A disease of which the scab is a symptom. It affects the skin of animals. 2. A fungal disease of fruit and vegetables, including potato scab and apple and pear scab. Farmers benefit from preventing and treating scab to maintain the health of their livestock and crops.

sheep: A ruminant of the genus Ovis, family Bovidae. It is one of many domesticated varieties, farmed for their wool, meat and milk. Most sheep in the UK are kept for meat, and milk production is relatively unimportant. Wool is an important byproduct of sheep farming in the UK, but is the main product of sheep in some other countries, such as Australia. In 2005 the total sheep population of the UK was approximately 40 million, accounting for 30% of all sheep in the EU member states. Sheep are kept under a wide range of environmental and management conditions, from coastal lowland areas such as Romney Marsh to the upland areas of Wales, Scotland and the North of England. Lambs from the upland areas are moved to lowland farms for fattening. In the UK, a great many breeds of sheep have survived and there are some 50 recognised breeds as well as a variety of local types and many crossbreds. More recently, the introduction of continental breeds has increased the variety. A broad classification into three main categories may be made: the long-woolled breeds which include the Romney, Lincoln and Leicester; the short-woolled breeds including the Southdown, Dorset Down and Suffolk, and the mountain, moorland and hill breeds which include the Cheviot, Radnor, Scottish Blackface, Swaledale and Welsh Mountain. Farmers benefit from raising sheep for their versatile products, including meat, wool, and milk, and their adaptability to various environmental conditions.

summer: the season following spring and before autumn, when the weather is warmest, the sun is highest in the sky, and most plants flower and set seed. Properly managing summer crops ensures healthy growth and optimal yields, supporting farm productivity.

short ton: US same as ton. Farmers benefit from understanding and using standardized measurements like short tons for consistent and accurate trade and storage.