Economic analysis of the intercropping of lettuce and tomato in different seasons under protected cultivation

Abstract

Lettuce and tomato are vegetables that can be grown in protected cultivation, under given conditions. Considering their expensive production systems, intercropping might be an excellent alternative to optimize costs. Four experiments were carried out at the São Paulo State University (UNESP), at Jaboticabal, Brazil, to study the economic viability of intercropping lettuce and tomato under protected cultivation. To set the intercropping, lettuce was transplanted 0, 10, 20, and 30 days after transplanting (DAT) tomato and vice-versa, in two seasons, namely April to September 2003 and January to June 2004, when monocultures of both vegetables were also carried out. At the first planting season, operational profits (OP) in intercropping (lettuce transplanted 0, 10, and 20 DAT tomato) were higher than in monocultures. At the first season, the return rates (RR) and OP were very much alike, whereas at the second season, RR in intercropping were lower than in monoculture. Transplanting tomato after lettuce, at both the first and second seasons, resulted in higher OP than those in monocultures. RR, OP and the profitability index (PI) were higher at the first than at the second season, independent of the growing system. RR in intercropping, independently of the intercropping schedule, were higher than in monoculture. In general, PI of tomato in monoculture and in intercropping were quite similar and both were higher than PI in the monoculture of lettuce. The economic indexes confirmed the agronomic viability (expressed by the index of area use efficiency) of transplanting lettuce and tomato simultaneously in both growing seasons; transplanting lettuce 10 and 20 DAT tomato, in the second season; and transplanting tomato after lettuce in all studied schedules. The economic indexes reached their peaks when tomato and lettuce were transplanted at the same day, in the first growing season (in average): OP of BRL$ 12,948.63 (US$ 4,273.48) in 614.4 m -2 ; RR of 6.7% and IP of 85%.

Economic study of the cultivation of kale, coriander, lettuce, and chives in intercropping

“…However, it is necessary to consider the lack of dosage recommendation and mode of application for the system of intercropped vegetable cultivation, although previous studies and price surveys may be fundamental to minimize these expenses. A study has verified the economics of TOC in intercropping cultivation of lettuce and tomato, in relation to addition their TOCs of monocultures, the greater cost was with labor for harvesting, followed by side dressing and weeding, which once they were made in tomato cultivated, in two of these, there was no need to be repeated for lettuce in the intercropping (CECÍLIO FILHO et al, 2010).…”

“…Assessing the economic viability of the lettuce-tomato intercropping was reported that the common labor was the most representative item in the increase in the cost of TOC, mainly due to the requirement in operations manual harvest and postharvest (CECÍLIO FILHO et al, 2010).…”

“…2016). Highlight the need of conducting an economic analysis of the intercropped, since the vegetables present variations of price and the cost of production during the whole year (REZENDE et al, 2010). The confirmation of the agronomic viability of the intercropped is observed in its economic yields when comparing its costs of production with those relative to the monocultures.…”

“…It is also important to emphasize that in the intercropping there is a reduction in the expenses with the preparation of the land in the pre-implantation of the crops and with depreciation, in comparison to the sum of the monocultures of the two cultures. Thus, in the intercropping system, there is a shared cost of production among crops involved, reducing the final value (CECÍLIO FILHO et al, 2010;PAIVA et al, 2016;LACERDA et al, 2017).…”

Agronomic Performance and Biological Efficiency of Kale Intercropped With Spice Species

“…Intercropping is an agroecological technique in which two or more species are grown in the same area for a certain period of time (BROOKER et al, 2015). Intercropping systems improve the use of productive resources (GRANGEIRO et al, 2011), stability of production (CARVALHO et al, 2009), and increased profitability per area (CECÍLIO FILHO et al, 2010).…”