Economic analysis of yellow passion fruit planting densities in Porto Lucena county, Brazil

Abstract

Production costs and economic results of yellow passion fruit were studied in six planting spacings (2.0x1.25 m; 2.0x1.75 m; 2.0x2.25 m; 2.0x2.75 m; 2.0x3.25 m; 2.0x3.75 m), in the randomized blocks design with three replications, in Porto Lucena County, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, in a subtropical region. Results showed that the highest cost of production per hectare (US$ 9,715.53) occurred in the lowest planting spacing (2.0x1.25 m), situation in which the highest average cost per kg (US$ 0.187) was also observed; the lowest average cost per kg (US$ 0.141) was observed in the spacing where the highest net profit per hectare (US$ 8,189.57) was found (2.0x2.75 m). The lowest cost production per hectare (US$ 6,475.02) resulted from the highest planting spacing (2.0 x 3.75 m), in which net profit per hectare (US$ 4,334.18) was the lowest. The economic results attained suggest that the best planting spacings were 2.0x2.25 m to 2.0x2.75 m.