Verification of alternatives for sustainable onion production (Allium cepa L.) in Cucaita, Boyaca

In Cucaita, onion production represents the basis of the economy and is concentrated in the valley but as yield declines due to deterioration of the soil, cultivation is shifting to the slopes, where unsustainability is more prominent. The aim of this study was to verify the potential of three alternatives for sustainable farming, using a split plot design on two farms. The alternatives were: 1) bocashi chicken manure, super broth four, fertilizer (BCmSB4F), 2) bocashi cow manure, rhizosphere broth, super broth four, fertilizer (BCmRBSB4F), 3) green manure, rhizosphere broth, super broth four, fertilizer (Gm- RBSB4F) and 4) regional control (RC). This study determined disease incidence, plant height, stem and bulb diameter, healthy and diseased bulb weight and yield. The results indicated that regardless of the alternative, the agro-ecological conditions of the farm are critical to plant health and consequently to crop production. In El Arenal, where disease incidence was lower, the highest values for healthy bulb weight, bulb diameter and yield were revealed. The alternatives only differed in disease incidence at 30 and 45 days after transplant, with the lowest percentages corresponding to the green manure alternative. For revenue, the three alternatives were favorable, especially the BCmRBSB4F alternative which exceeded the RC. The results show that the alternatives GmRBSB4F and BCmRBSB4F have the most potential and are the most viable for sustainable onion production in Cucaita, Boyaca.