Antixenosis resistance to leaf miner Leucoptera coffeella in Coffea species

Abstract

The coffee leaf miner, Leucoptera coffeella, is the most important pest of Coffea arabica plantations in Brazil, and all cultivars are susceptible to the insect. However, distinct reactions have been observed in other species, such as C. congensis and C. canephora. In this work, the occurrence of antixenotic response was surveyed in individuals of Coffea species, selected for resistance to the leaf miner at both field and laboratory conditions. Tests performed on young plants from C. arabica cultivars Icatu Precoce IAC 3282, Mundo Novo IAC 515-20, Tupi IAC 1669-33 and Catuai Amarelo IAC 62 demonstrated that these were preferred for oviposition when pooled with seedlings from C. canephora cv. Apoata IAC 2258. Apoata was also preferred over C. racemosa for oviposition. Similar results were observed in tests using detached leaves, and higher amount of eggs was counted in the cv Obata IAC 1669-20 and Catuai Vermelho IAC 81, and lower oviposition frequency was observed in C. canephora cv. Guarini IAC 1598. C. congensis showed an oviposition frequency between C. arabica and C. canephora. Also, the results suggest that the frequency of oviposition is co-related with the plant resistance level, during larvae infection.