Nurse crops are a subtype of nurse plants, facilitating the growth of other species of plants. The term is used primarily in agriculture, but also in forestry. Cover crops are a type of nurse crop.
Agriculture
thumb|[[Oats as nurse crop for alfalfa]]
In agriculture, a nurse crop is an annual crop used to assist in establishment of a perennial crop. The widest use of nurse crops is in the establishment of legumaceous plants such as alfalfa, clover, and trefoil. Occasionally, nurse crops are used for establishment of perennial grasses.
Nurse crops reduce the incidence of weeds, prevent erosion, and prevent excessive sunlight from reaching tender seedlings. Often, the nurse crop can be harvested for grain, straw, hay, or pasture. Nurse cropping of tall or dense-canopied plants can protect more vulnerable species through shading or by providing a wind break. Aspens especially provide partial shade, allowing understory growth.