This work had as objective to determine the yield, gross income and gross income minus seed cost of 'Tall Top Early Wonder' beet in answer to the use of four and five rows per plot and spaces of 5.0; 7.5 and 10.0 cm between plants. Harvest was done at 116 days after sowing, when the height of plants, fresh mass of leaves, diameter and length of roots and fresh mass of commercial and non-commercial roots were evaluated. The validation of this work was done by determination of gross income and gross income minus seed cost obtained per cultivated hectare. None of the evaluated characteristics was influenced significantly by the interaction of number of rows/spaces between plants. The highest gross income (R$ 6,700.00) came from the treatment with five rows per plot and 5.0 cm among plants, and the highest gross income minus seed cost (R$ 5,654.00) was from the treatment with five rows and 10.0 cm between plants. It was concluded that to obtain the greatest yield of beet, five rows of plants per plot and 5.0 cm between plants must be used, but to obtain the highest gross income minus seed cost, five rows per plot and 10.0 cm between plants must be used.
Beta vulgaris L.; plant population; income