Validation of a Sustainable Pest Management Program to Control Coffee Berry Borer

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Entomology
• Sustainable Agriculture
• Pest Management

Background:

• The coffee berry borer (CBB), *Hypothenemus hampei*, is a major pest in coffee production.
• Conventional CBB control relies heavily on synthetic chemical insecticides, raising environmental and economic concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a sustainable pest management program for CBB control.
• To compare this program against historical conventional chemical control methods.
• To assess the economic profitability of sustainable pest management in coffee farms.

Main Methods:

• Implemented GIS-based hotspot mapping and integrated biological control agents (*Phymastichus coffea*, *Prorops nasuta*, *Beauveria bassiana*).
• Incorporated cultural practices and monitoring with targeted parasitoid releases and fungal applications based on infestation thresholds.
• Monitored infestation levels, CBB flight activity, parasitism rates, and analyzed climatic variables.

Main Results:

• Sustainable management reduced field infestation from 3.3% to 1.7%, staying below the 2% action threshold.
• *Prorops nasuta* reduced CBB life stages by 32.1%, and *P. coffea* parasitism reached 70%.
• Net income increased by 26% per hectare with a Marginal Rate of Return (MRR) of 18.06.

Conclusions:

• Sustainable pest management effectively suppresses CBB populations and minimizes pesticide use.
• This integrated approach enhances the economic and environmental sustainability of coffee production.
• The study confirms the viability of biological and cultural controls over solely chemical interventions.