Despite the advantages of break crops there is often resistance and reluctance by
farmers to grow them. The reasons may be based in tradition and cultural beliefs - fear
of using “new” techniques or crops, possibly not previously attempted in the area - or
the reasons may be more practical, such as the lack or expense of the appropriate seed
or machinery. Another unsolved mystery.
Catch crops are normally fast growing (early maturing) crops or varieties which are
planted late in the season, either too late for a normally grown crop or to replace a crop
which has failed.
Catch crops are sometimes sown densely so as to suppress weed growth, in which
case they are also known as Smother Crops (1Gh, page 64). Sometimes they are
ploughed in to the soil when still young and green, in which case they are also known as
Green Manure Crops (1Hd, page 69).
In temperate climates forage crops are planted as a catch crop in the autumn,
between cereal crops for example, so as to provide grazing early in the spring.
Examples of species which can be used in temperate regions are: buckwheat,
swedes, turnips, rape, Italian ryegrass (sometimes mixed with winter rye) and mustard.
In warmer, drier regions millets, teff, grass pea (vetch) or other fast growing legumes
can be used.
Any crop which can grow upwards on vertical or near vertical supports is known as a
climbing crop. Examples include lima beans, runner (pole) beans, gourds, cucumbers
and yams.
Often these crops which could be grown as climbing crops are allowed to grow
horizontally, which is generally less useful, because climbing crops have a number of
advantages:
- They occupy a smaller area of land surface because they utilise vertical space.
- They support their edible pods and leaves above the reach of predators such as
slugs, insects, rodents and other animals. - They keep the edible plant parts off the soil surface so they dry out more easily and
so are less liable to become diseased or splashed by mud, or smothered by weeds. - They allow light and air to surround the plant, which helps its growth and allows
the edible parts to mature and colour more evenly.
Sometimes plants themselves are used as support crops to provide support to other,
climbing crops. Maize and sorghum, for example, commonly support various types of
climbing plants such as beans.
Another efficient system is to use the Horse Tamarind, White Popinac, Leadtree or
Ipil-ipil Leucaena leucocephala (described in Section 2G, page 275) as a support crop.
62 TONY WINCH
c Catch Crops
d Climbing Crops
Leucaena leucocephala