Economic analysis of the intercropping of lettuce x tomato in protected cultivation at Jaboticabal (SP), Brazil

Abstract

This study was carried out at Unesp, Jaboticabal (SP), Brazil, from April through August 2002, with the objective of evaluating the economic viability of intercropping lettuce and tomato. The experiment, under greenhouse conditions, consisted oftreatments, with the intercropping and monoculture of lettuce established at zero, 4, 28 and 42 days after tomato transplanting. The tomato and lettuce cultivars were, respectively, Débora Max and Vera. The gross and net profit and the production cost were calculated starting from the prices observed in August, 2002. The total operational cost of the associated cultivation was lower than the sum of the costs of the monocultures, and it presented larger profits when the two cultures were installed at the same time. The small superiority of the net income for intercropping of the cultures in relation to the tomato in monoculture is attributed to the low value of lettuce and, consequently, of its participation in the composition of the revenue of the intercropping cultivation.Additional keywords: Lycopersicon esculentum ; Lactuca sativa ; profit.