Economic analysis of the production of crisp lettuce in successive cultivation of cover crops under no-till system

Abstract

The objective of this study was to obtain economic indicators of the production of crisp lettuce (Lactuca sativa) in successive cultivation to cover plants under no-tillage system. The experiment was carried out in a randomized block design, with six treatments: Crotalaria (Crotalaria juncea), guandu (Cajanus cajan), jack bean (Canavalia ensiformis), millet (Pennisetum glaucum) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor), in addition to a control treatment, with the use of spontaneous vegetation, with four replications. The productivity was evaluated and economic indicators were estimated for a production area of 1000 m2. It was observed that the cultivation of lettuce in succession to forage sorghum and maintenance of the straw on the soil provided an increase in productivity and monetary gains. The operational profit obtained with the production of 3.05 tons of lettuce cultivated in beds containing sorghum straw was R$ 3,754.35. This value exceeded R$ 608,06, R$ 1,269.60, R$ 4,052.28 and R$ 3,361.44 the values obtained with the pre-harvest millet, jack bean, guandu and crotalaria, respectively and R$ 2.426,80 the control treatment. Thus, the use of forage sorghum as a predecessor crop is recommended to produce crisp lettuce under no-tillage system.