Seedling size and broiler litter composition affect Peruvian carrot productivity and profitability

Abstract

The commercial part of the Peruvian carrot plant is subterraneous, requiring well-structured soils. Differences in seedling size and the use of organic residues may affect crop productivity and farmer income. This study aimed to assess the productivity and profitability of Peruvian carrot propagated using different seedling sizes (T1, T2, T3, and T4) and grown with broiler litter of different bedding materials (wood shavings and rice hull) as soil cover, arranged in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme in a randomized block design with five replicates. The highest production of fresh leaves (5.85 t ha-1), shoots (7.55 t ha-1), and commercial roots (6.30 t ha-1) were obtained with propagation using T2 seedlings. Broiler litter with wood shavings bedding provided the highest commercial root productivity (5.00 t ha-1). Costs per hectare varied by R$ 3,093.42 between the lowest (R$ 11,480.77) and highest (R$ 14,574.19) costs. The highest gross (R$ 41,940.00) and net (R$ 28,881.50) incomes were obtained with broiler litter with rice hull bedding and T2-sized seedlings. Peruvian carrots should be grown in soil covered with broiler litter with rice hull or wood shavings bedding using T2-sized seedlings to obtain the highest productivity and net income.