ruminants

Mammals that have four stomachs and even-toed hooves.

soil heat flux

The amount of thermal energy that moves through an area of soil in a unit of time

soil nutrient balance

Account of the total inputs and outputs of a particular nutrient in an agroecosystem

soil permeability

The readiness with which soil or rock allows water, air, or plant roots to penetrate or pass through

soil salinity

The amount of soluble salts in a soil

soil texture

The relative proportions of the three individual particle size classes (i.e., sand, silt and clay) in a soil.

soil weathering

The breakdown of rock and minerals by physical, chemical, geological, and biological processes, or combinations thereof. The rate and nature of soil weathering are largely dependent on atmospheric agents

sole cropping

Growing one crop variety in pure stands on a piece of land at any one time

specific pathogen-free animals

Animals or humans raised in the absence of a particular disease-causing virus or other microorganism

staple foods

Foods that are basic to the diet/cuisine of the culture, like wheat flour, rice, corn, yams, sugar, salt, etc

strip cropping

The growing of crops in a systematic arrangement of strips or bands which serve as vegetative barriers to wind and water erosion. The strips or bands may run perpendicular to the slope of the land or to the direction of plant

stromal cells

Connective tissue cells of an organ found in the loose connective tissue. These are most often associated with the uterine mucosa and the ovary as well as the hematopoietic system and elsewhere

stubble tillage

A tillage system which retains a high percentage of crop residue on the soil surface, thereby reducing wind erosion

subsidies

Payment or benefit given to partially offset the cost of specific activities, such as the manufacture, production, or export of an article

subsistence farming

A farming system where the food and goods produced are predominantly consumed by the farm family and there is little surplus for sale in the market

supply chain

The network of firms that bring products to market, from companies that produce raw materials to retailers and others that deliver finished products to consumers. Economic value is added through the coordinated management of the flow of physical goods and associated information at each stage of the chain

suppressor genes

Genes that have a suppressor allele or suppressor mutation which cancels the effect of a previous mutation, enabling the wild-type phenotype to be maintained or partially restored.

sweetcorn

Fresh kernels of a variety of corn (Zea mays) with a high sugar content and a low starch content, eaten as a vegetable

transfer RNA

The small RNA molecules, 73-80 nucleotides long, that function during translation to align amino acids at the ribosomes in a sequence determined by the mRNA (messenger RNA). There are about 30 different transfer RNAs. Each recognizes a specific codon set on the mRNA through its own anticodon and as aminoacyl tRNAs, each carries a specific amino acid to the ribosome to add to the elongating peptide chains.

table wines

Any wine containing less than 14 percent alcohol by volume, usually meant to be served with meals. Not to be confused with sweet wines, dessert wines, fortified wines, etc.