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sheep’s fescue: A species of grass useful under hill and marginal conditions. Farmers benefit from growing sheep’s fescue for its adaptability and resilience in challenging environments.

skin spot: a potato disease causing pimple-like dark brown spots which can harm the buds in the eyes of seed tubers. Managing skin spot disease ensures healthy potato crops, preventing yield losses and maintaining quality.

soil pan: a hard layer in the soil. ‘Greater resistance in digging soils of similar texture and moisture content indicates poor structure. Concentration of roots indicates hard to penetrate layers or blocks of soil. A soil pan may be present if roots grow horizontally or do not penetrate to any depth.’ [Farmers Guardian] Managing soil pans ensures proper root growth and water infiltration, supporting healthy crop growth and productive agriculture.

sapling: A young tree. Farmers benefit from planting and managing saplings to ensure sustainable forestry and orchard practices.

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.