Pilot Testing of an Area-Wide Biological Control Strategy against the Coffee Berry Borer in Colombia Using African...

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Entomology
• Biological Control
• Insect Pest Management

Background:

• The coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei, is a significant global pest of coffee crops.
• CBB infestations are particularly damaging in areas lacking natural enemies, leading to substantial yield losses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of two African parasitoids, Prorops nasuta and Phymastichus coffea, as biological control agents against CBB in Colombia.
• To assess the impact of mass-reared parasitoid releases on CBB populations and coffee berry infestation rates.

Main Methods:

• Mass-rearing of P. nasuta and P. coffea parasitoids.
• Field release of over 1.5 million wasps of each species on a 61-hectare coffee farm in Chinchiná, Colombia.
• Monitoring parasitism rates and CBB population reduction in experimental and control plots.

Main Results:

• Parasitism rates reached up to 7.7% for P. nasuta and 56.3% for P. coffea.
• Significant reductions in H. hampei populations were observed: 81% in dispersal plots and 64.3% in colonization plots.
• Infestation of coffee berries decreased by 51.1% to 77.5% in plots with parasitoid releases compared to control plots.

Conclusions:

• The area-wide release of P. nasuta and P. coffea is a promising biological control strategy for managing Hypothenemus hampei.
• This approach offers a sustainable alternative to chemical insecticides for integrated pest management in coffee production.