Category: S

seminal: Referring to semen or to seed. Farmers benefit from understanding seminal processes for effective breeding and crop production.

sugar beet topper: an attachment to a sugar beet harvester which collects the sugar beet tops. Some have choppers and blower units, which chop up the tops and then blow them into a trailer. Using sugar beet toppers ensures efficient harvesting and use of crop residues, supporting farm productivity.

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.