Editing Catch crop (section)

{{Short description|Crop grown between plantings of a main crop}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2017}}

[[Image:Gorczyca biala-pole.jpg|thumb|250px|White mustard grown as catch crop in Poland]]
In [[agriculture]], a '''catch crop''' is a fast-growing [[agriculture|crop]] that is grown between successive plantings of a main crop.<ref>{{cite book|author1=J. A. R. Lockhart|author2=A. J. L. Wiseman|title=Introduction to crop husbandry including grassland)|date=17 May 2014|publisher=Elsevier|page=111|isbn=9781483190563|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yh6jBQAAQBAJ&q=%22catch+crop%22&pg=PA111|accessdate=24 June 2015}}</ref> It is a specific type of [[cover crop]] that is grown between two main crops.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Malcolm |first1=B. J. |last2=Cameron |first2=K. C. |last3=Beare |first3=M. H. |last4=Carrick |first4=S. T. |last5=Payne |first5=J. J. |last6=Maley |first6=S. C. |last7=Di |first7=H. J. |last8=Richards |first8=K. K. |last9=Dalley |first9=D. E. |last10=de Ruiter |first10=J. M. |date=2022-04-01 |title=Oat catch crop efficacy on nitrogen leaching varies after forage crop grazing |url=https://doi.org/10.1007/s10705-022-10201-9 |journal=Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems |language=en |volume=122 |issue=3 |pages=273–288 |doi=10.1007/s10705-022-10201-9 |bibcode=2022NCyAg.122..273M |s2cid=247823075 |issn=1573-0867|hdl=10182/14839 |hdl-access=free }}</ref> This crop is utilized as a way to reduce nitrogen leaching but it also promotes environmental benefits such as fortifying soil structure, retention of water and enhancement of soil biological activity.<ref name=":0">{{Cite journal |last1=Vos |first1=J. |last2=van der Putten |first2=P.E.L. |last3=Hassan Hussein |first3=Muktar |last4=van Dam |first4=A.M. |last5=Leffelaar |first5=P.A. |date=1998-04-01 |title=Field observations on nitrogen catch crops |url=https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1004367530320 |journal=Plant and Soil |language=en |volume=201 |issue=1 |pages=149–155 |doi=10.1023/A:1004367530320 |s2cid=38809611 |issn=1573-5036|url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref name=":1" /> Catch crops revolve around plant species that have short growing seasons, rapid growth, low soil and nutrients requirements to be considered a catch crop.<ref name=":1" />

Catch cropping is a type of [[succession planting]]. It makes more efficient use of growing space. For example, [[radish]]es that mature from [[seed]] in 25–30 days can be grown between rows of most [[vegetable]]s, and [[harvest]]ed long before the main crop matures. Or, a catch crop can be planted between the spring harvest and [[autumn|fall]] planting of some crops.