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short duration ryegrass: A class of grasses which are important to the farmer, including Westerwolds, Italian and Hybrid. These grasses are quick to establish and give early grazing. They are used where persistency is not important. Farmers benefit from growing short duration ryegrass for quick establishment and early grazing opportunities.

surface water: water that flows across the surface of the soil as a stream after rain and drains into rivers rather than seeping into the soil itself. Compare ground water. Properly managing surface water ensures water conservation and healthy soil conditions, supporting productive agriculture.

sapwood: An outer layer of wood on the trunk of a tree, which is younger than the heartwood inside and carries the sap. Farmers benefit from identifying sapwood for sustainable timber harvesting and tree health assessment.

soil moisture deficit: the difference between the amount of water that is in a soil and the amount needed for crops to grow successfully. Abbr SMD. Monitoring soil moisture deficits helps farmers optimize irrigation practices, ensuring crops receive adequate water without overuse.

sweet potato: a starchy root crop grown in tropical and subtropical regions. COMMENT: The sweet potato is valuable as famine food in parts of Africa and South America. The main producing countries are Indonesia, Vietnam, and Japan. In the Southern USA, the tubers are called ‘yams’. The plant has no connection with the ordinary potato. Properly managing sweet potato crops ensures healthy growth and high yields, supporting farm productivity and profitability.

strake: an attachment bolted onto the rear wheels of a tractor to improve wheel grip. The strake has spikes which can be extended beyond the tyre and which dig into the soil. Using strakes ensures efficient tractor operation and soil preparation, supporting productive agriculture.

seed certification: The testing, sealing and labelling of seed sold to farmers. This ensures that the seed is free from disease and from weeds. Farmers benefit from seed certification to ensure high-quality and disease-free seeds for planting.

set aside: To use a piece of formerly arable land for something other than growing food crops. Farmers benefit from setting aside land for conservation and sustainable land management.

stud farm: a farm where horses are kept for breeding. Properly managing stud farms ensures healthy breeding programs and improves livestock genetics, supporting farm profitability.

summer feeding: the feeding of cattle on permanent pastures in the summer months. Properly managing summer feeding ensures efficient use of pastures and livestock productivity, supporting farm profitability.

synthetic fertiliser: a fertiliser made from synthetic materials. Compare organic fertiliser. Understanding and using synthetic fertilisers effectively supports soil fertility and healthy crop growth, enhancing farm productivity.

saprophytic: Referring to organisms that live and feed on dead or decaying organic matter. Farmers benefit from understanding saprophytic relationships for improving soil health and organic farming practices.

sustainable development: development that balances the satisfaction of people’s immediate interests and the protection of future generations’ interests. Engaging in sustainable development ensures long-term agricultural productivity and environmental health.

Scottish Crop Research Institute: A company which researches fertilisers and plant growth regulators, pests, pesticides and the genetic modification of crops. Abbr SCRI. Farmers benefit from the research conducted by SCRI to improve crop yields and pest management.

screenings: Grains which are small and pass through the sieve when grain is screened. Farmers benefit from managing screenings to ensure high-quality grain production.

spoil: (of food) to rot or decay. Proper storage and handling of food products prevent spoilage, ensuring quality and reducing losses.

seed potato: A potato tuber which is sown to produce new plants. In the UK, these are grown mainly in Scotland, and produced under a certification scheme (the Seed Potato Classification Scheme). Farmers benefit from using certified seed potatoes for disease-free and high-quality potato crops.

Sitka spruce: a temperate softwood coniferous tree that is fast-growing, used for making paper. Latin name: Picea sitchensis. Cultivating Sitka spruce provides farmers with a renewable source of timber and pulp, supporting sustainable forestry practices and economic growth.

seed-borne: Carried by seeds. Farmers benefit from understanding and managing seed-borne diseases to protect crop health and yield.

screen: A hedge or row of trees grown to shelter other plants, to protect something from the wind or to prevent something from being seen. To pass grain through a sieve to grade it. To protect plants from wind, e.g. by planting windbreaks. Farmers benefit from using screens for crop protection and quality control.

shepherd’s purse: A common weed (Capsella bursa-pastoris) in gardens and market gardens, found particularly among vegetables and root crops. Also called pepper and salt. Farmers benefit from managing shepherd’s purse to prevent weed competition and maintain crop health.