With the aim of minimizing the difficulties faced by the producers on cultivating the crisphead lettuce (Lactuta sativa L.), specifically those related to the lack of technical information about the quantity of water to be applied, a study was conducted to determine the economic and productive behavior of crisphead lettuce yielding characteristics. The experiment was carried out at the Universidade Federal de Lavras, from October to December 2008 in greenhouse. A randomized block design with five treatments and four repetitions was adopted. The treatments, consisting of the five respective evaporation factors: 0.30, 0.60, 0.90, 1.20 and 1.50 EVm, were done according to an evaporated depth of a reduced pan. The results showed that the maximum total and commercial yield, 65.918 and 35.544 kg ha-1, were estimated by applying depths equivalent to 152.1 and 155 mm, respectively, corresponding to 92 % replacement factor; regarding water factor price (R$ 0.67 mm-1) and crisphead lettuce price (R$ 0.90 kg-1), the economically optimum depth was 154 mm, which resulted in a commercial yield practically equal to the maximum economical efficiency.
Lactuta sativa L.; economic depth; protected environment
