Charm-quark hadronisation can be investigated by measuring the relative abundance of various particle species, in particular non-strange D mesons (D0, D+, D∗+), D+s mesons, and charm baryons (Λ+c, Ξ0c). The high precision tracking, excellent vertexing capabilities and particle identification granted by the ALICE apparatus allows hadrons containing charm quarks to be measured over a wide momentum range in pp and pA collisions. Measurements of the charmed-baryon production in small systems are also a fundamental reference for heavy-ion collisions, where an enhancement of the baryon-to-meson ratio could derive from hadronisation via coalescence of charm quarks with the quarks in the Quark−Gluon Plasma.
In this contribution, recent measurements of charmed meson and baryon production in pp collisions and in p--Pb collisions with the ALICE experiment are presented and compared with theoretical calculations. The results include the pT-differential cross section of Λ+c and Ξ0c baryons, and the baryon-meson ratio Λ+c/D0. The measured values of Λ+c/D0 baryon-meson ratio are significantly higher than expected from model calculations and previous measurements at e+e− and ep colliders.
