PRODUCTION AND QUALITY OF INFLORESCENCES CAULIFLOWER A FUNCTION OF DENSITY PLANTING

Cauliflower is one of the most planted vegetable throughout Brazil, being a very profitable crop. The use of denser plantings can increase crop yield and improve financial returns to producers. This study aimed to verify the combination effect of different spacing between plants in row and between rows on the cauliflower 'Piracicaba Precoce' inflorescences productivity and quality. In the experiment, a randomized block design was used and treatments consisted in three distances between rows (70, 80 and 90 cm) with three distances between plants in row (50, 60 and 70 cm) and four replications. Total productivity and productivity by inflorescences size classes were assessed as well as the quality by checking the inflorescences' mass. The row density did not change the produced heads quality, although the density between plants reduced the inflorescences size. The spacing 70 x 50 cm, totalizing 28,571 plants per ha, due the higher productivity, greater than 14.0 t ha(-1), and still not compromise the inflorescence size can be recommended to the cauliflower "Piracicaba Precoce" production in the region.