shortseason

Shortseason is a term used in several fields to describe a period or category that lasts for a relatively brief duration. It is commonly applied to agriculture and horticulture to describe varieties that mature quickly, as well as to sports leagues that operate on a compressed schedule.

In agriculture and horticulture, short-season crops mature rapidly and require fewer frost-free days or heat units to reach harvest. They are valuable in cooler climates and in regions with short growing seasons. Breeders develop short-season varieties by selecting traits for rapid germination, early flowering, and quick fruit development. Typical examples include radish, lettuce, spinach, peas, and bush beans, though the term applies to many crops across vegetables and grains. Maturity is often quantified in days from sowing to harvest or in accumulated growing degree days.

In professional baseball, short-season leagues referred to a subdivision of the minor leagues that played a shorter schedule, often welcoming newly drafted players. Short-season teams typically began play in late spring or early summer and served as an entry level for players transitioning from amateur status to professional baseball. Following recent reforms in the minor leagues, the formal short-season category has been reduced, and several former short-season teams now compete within different league structures, including independent circuits.

Other uses are less common but may include product release cycles, educational programs, or policy terms described informally as short seasons. The exact meaning tends to be context-dependent.