Profitableness of lettuce intercropped with tomato under greenhouse conditions

Abstract

The economical return of lettuce crop when cultivated either isolatedly or intercropped with tomato was studied. Two trials, the first from April 17 to June 2 of 2003 and the second from January 30 to March 13 of 2004, both under greenhouse conditions, were carried out in Jaboticabal, state of São Paulo, Brazil. The intercropping systems were established by the transplantation of the species plants at the same day. The total operational costs (TOC) of isolated lettuce were of R$596.56 and R$566.99/614.4 m2, respectively for the first and the second planting time whereas, when intercropped with tomato, the TOC were, respectively, of R$192.15 and R$162.17/614.4 m2. The crop operational profit showed to be planting time dependent. In the first planting time, when the lettuce relative yield (intercropping/isolated) was high, the lettuce operational profit (OP) in the intercropping was higher than in the isolated system. In the second planting, lettuce relative productivity was small which resulted in a lower intercropping system OP in relation to the observed in the isolated system. The profitability indexes and the return rates were higher for the intercropped lettuce in comparison with the isolated system. During the periods of low market prices, as a consequence of seasonal variations, the intercropping of lettuce with tomato showed to be more profitable than the isolated system.

Additional keywords: Lactuca sativa; Lycopersicon esculentum; protected cultivation; intercropping cultivation; crop system.