The experiment was carried out from June to September 2003, in Mossoró, Rio Grande do Norte State, Brazil, to evaluate the quality of carrot roots (cv. Brasília) in intercropped systems with lettuce (cv. Tainá) under different planting densities. The experimental design used was of randomized blocks in a 4 x 4 factorial scheme with three replications. The treatments consisted of the combination of four carrot-planting densities [(40%, 60%, 80% and 100% of the recommended sole crop density (RSCD)] with four lettuce-planting densities (40%, 60%, 80% and 100% of RSCD). The evaluated quality characteristics of the carrot roots were: titrable total acidity (TTA), total soluble solids (TSS), total sugars (TSU), pH, and TSS/TSS ratio, besides commercial productivity of carrot roots and lettuce yield. There was a significant interaction between carrot planting-densities and lettuce-planting densities on TSS of carrot roots. The TTS content and pH increased with increasing carrot-planting densities. Commercial productivity of carrot roots and lettuce yield also increased with increasing in planting densities. The variation in the carrot planting density did not influence lettuce yield but the variation in the lettuce planting density negatively influenced commercial productivity of carrot roots. Among the assessed characteristics, TSS and TSS were significantly correlated with commercial productivity, showing that these traits may be representative of carrot root quality.
Daucus carota; Lactuca sativa; chemical composition
