Control Of Coffee Berry Borer Research Articles

The best way to the trap: An ecological study of coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei) preference to several volatile compounds

This study explored the effectiveness of ethanol and methanol as attractants for controlling the coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei Ferr 1867, a significant pest in global coffee plantations. The research aimed to assess the efficiency of these substances as attractant traps for CBB in Kaliselogiri, Banyuwangi, Indonesia. Using a single-factor randomized block design, the experiment involved nine treatments, each replicated three times, with modified PTE traps of 2 L volume set up at 1.5 m height. Traps were checked weekly to monitor CBB attack intensity before and after applying attractants. Statistical analyses including the Mann-Whitney Non-parametric test and Duncan’s test were used to examine variations across blocks and weeks. Abundance boxplot graphs offered descriptive insights. Over six weeks, 14,044 CBB’s were captured. The peak was in the third week, with a decline in the fourth, followed by a resurgence until the end of the study. The Mann-Whitney U test showed a significant p-value (p = 0.000; confidence level = 5%), confirming the effectiveness of the attractants on CBB. Of the treatments, K6 (Ethanol: Methanol = 2:1) was most effective. Ethanol and methanol proved to be efficient lures in CBB management traps, with ethanol particularly effective in larger compositions, suggesting its wider application. These results support the use of attractant-based strategies for CBB control and highlight the importance of ethanol and methanol. Further research is needed to optimize attractant compositions and assess long-term impacts on CBB populations and agroecosystems. The ecological consequences, including potential effects on non-target species and overall sustainability, warrant further investigation. In summary, this study advances CBB management through attractant-based traps, emphasizing the importance of ethanol.

The best way to the trap: An ecological study of coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei) preference to several volatile compounds

This study explored the effectiveness of ethanol and methanol as attractants for controlling the coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei Ferr 1867, a significant pest in global coffee plantations. The research aimed to assess the efficiency of these substances as attractant traps for CBB in Kaliselogiri, Banyuwangi, Indonesia. Using a single-factor randomized block design, the experiment involved nine treatments, each replicated three times, with modified PTE traps of 2 L volume set up at 1.5 m height. Traps were checked weekly to monitor CBB attack intensity before and after applying attractants. Statistical analyses including the Mann-Whitney Non-parametric test and Duncan’s test were used to examine variations across blocks and weeks. Abundance boxplot graphs offered descriptive insights. Over six weeks, 14,044 CBB’s were captured. The peak was in the third week, with a decline in the fourth, followed by a resurgence until the end of the study. The Mann-Whitney U test showed a significant p-value (p = 0.000; confidence level = 5%), confirming the effectiveness of the attractants on CBB. Of the treatments, K6 (Ethanol: Methanol = 2:1) was most effective. Ethanol and methanol proved to be efficient lures in CBB management traps, with ethanol particularly effective in larger compositions, suggesting its wider application. These results support the use of attractant-based strategies for CBB control and highlight the importance of ethanol and methanol. Further research is needed to optimize attractant compositions and assess long-term impacts on CBB populations and agroecosystems. The ecological consequences, including potential effects on non-target species and overall sustainability, warrant further investigation. In summary, this study advances CBB management through attractant-based traps, emphasizing the importance of ethanol.

Metaflumizone susceptibility baseline, reproduction, locomotion, and respiration responses on the Hypothenemus hampei

Coffee berry borer (CBB) is the world's primary coffee pest. Recently, metaflumizone was registered for the control of CBB. This study investigated the susceptibility baseline, reproduction, locomotion, and respiration responses in the CBB (Hypothenemus hampei) exposed to metaflumizone. Lethal concentration (LC10, LC50, and LC99) values for metaflumizone were determined for seventeen populations from Brazil. Coffea arabica fruits infested with the CBB were collected during 2020–2021 from regions with significant coffee production. Metaflumizone reduced the respiration rate of H. hampei from 0.51 to 0.22 μL CO2 h−1 at LC50 for up to 3 h after insecticide exposure. A low concentration (LC10) of metaflumizone showed a stable respiration rate for H. hampei. The locomotion and reproduction (number of eggs) of H. hampei were affected. The recommended diagnostic concentration for H. hampei was 58.0 mg a.i. L−1. Our findings suggest that metaflumizone-based insecticides can be an effective alternative for use in rotation with insecticides of different chemical groups to control this key pest.

Compatibility of Native Strains of Beauveria peruviensis and Metarhizium sp. as Strategy for Biological Control of Coffee Berry Borer (Hypothenemus hampei, Ferrari)

Coffee is a crop of global importance, and it is especially important in countries such as Peru. However, the presence of the pest Hypothenemus hampei represents a significant challenge with a notable economic impact. This study addresses this challenge using entomopathogenic fungi such as Beauveria peruviensis and Metarhizium sp. The compatibility of three strains of Beauveria peruviensis (F5, P19, and P4) and seven strains of Metarhizium sp. (MMR-M1, LLM-M2, MHR-M4, PMR-M12, MMR-M15, TOR-M16, and GOR-M18) was evaluated for approximately 2 months. A total of 14 treatments were designed, each consisting of one strain of B. peruviensis and one strain of Metarhizium sp. The Skott–Knott test (p ≤ 0.05) revealed that strain LLM-M2 (Metarhizium sp. strain) had the highest conidial production (3.75 × 107 conidia/mL). Except for T6 (MMR-M1/F5), which showed a mutual growth type interaction (type A), all other strain combinations showed a type B interaction (mutual inhibition by contact or separation between colony margins (<2 mm)). The combination with the highest germination rate was T10 (MHR-M4/F5) at 89%. In addition, the pathogenicity of the combined strains was evaluated, showing a direct correlation with mortality and mycosis development in the coffee berry borer in treatments T1 (PMR-M12/P19), T10 (MHR-M4/F5), and T11 (MMR-M15/P19), reaching 100% mortality at 72 h with grade 4 mycosis. Regarding mycelial growth, treatments T1 (PMR-M12/P19), T4 (MMR-M1/P19), and T12 (GOR-M18/P19) reached the highest percentages, between 85.8% and 83.10% at 240 h. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using native strains of B. peruviensis and Metarhizium sp. as a biocontrol strategy against the coffee berry borer in the Amazon department, presenting them as an alternative to traditional chemical methods.

Evaluation of potential entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana, for controlling the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Taiwan

Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), a coffee berry borer (CBB), is a serious pest of coffee fruits and causes economic losses in the coffee industry. With the concerns of chemical control, an alternative eco-friendly management strategy such as microbial control has emerged as the times require. Herein, a total of thirty-three fungi were isolated from CBB cadavers. Two entomopathogenic fungal isolates, NCHU-271 and NCHU-272, which showed fast insect-killing activity, were subjected to molecular identification and named “Beauveria bassiana-NCHU-271” (Bb-NCHU-271) and “Beauveria bassiana -NCHU-272” (Bb-NCHU-272). Moreover, a virulence test of Bb-NCHU-271 and Bb-NCHU-272 against CBBs was also performed. Both Bb-NCHU-271 and Bb-NCHU-272 caused 100% mortality at 8 days post inoculation (d.p.i.) and a LT50 of Bb-NCHU-271 by spraying 108 conidia/ml was less than Bb-NCHU-272. Therefore, histological evidence of Bb-NCHU-271 infected CBBs was provided to proven the infection process of B. bassiana in CBBs. Furthermore, an infestation test was performed to evaluate the differences in CBB control efficacy between the treatments of “Borers exposed to EPF first” or “Berries exposed to EPF first”. The results revealed that the “Borers exposed to EPF first” of Bb-NCHU-272 caused significantly lower survival rates and higher mycosis rates than those of Bb-NCHU-271. Only slight control effects of Bb-NCHU-271 and Bb-NCHU-272 were also observed in the “Berries exposed to EPF” treatment. In conclusion, Bb-NCHU-271 and −272 showed controlling ability to the CBBs either before or after CBB infestation into coffee berries, while application of EPFs before the CBBs bored into coffee fruits could enhance the control effect.

Field Efficacy of Spinetoram for the Management of Coffee Berry Borer (Hypothenemus hampei)

Coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei, is a damaging insect pest of coffee worldwide. CBB has recently been introduced to Hawaii, so management techniques are still being developed for sustainable and cost-efficient approaches for the effective control of this pest. Field trials were conducted to evaluate the use of spinetoram on CBB infestation and bean damage compared to Beauveria bassiana and an untreated control. Initial CBB infestations were similar, and the treatments resulted in no detectable differences in subsequent new infestations. Damage to the coffee beans was reduced by both spinetoram and B. bassiana compared to controls as the mortality of adult beetles resulting from the treatments prevented them from moving into the bean (C/D position) from the berry (A/B position). The mortality of adult beetles also prevented reproduction, subsequently reducing future CBB populations in the field. When applied to infested berries, spinetoram reduced live beetle populations in the A/B position by 73% and CBBs in the C/D position by 70% compared to the water control, whereas applications of B. bassiana reduced beetles in the C/D position by 37% but had no effect on the live A/B population. An integrated pest management program is recommended for the effective control of CBBs, and the use of spinetoram applications when adult beetles are in the A/B position appears to have potential as another management tool.

Laboratory studies assessing the microbial biocontrol potential of diverse strains of Beauveria bassiana isolated from coffee berry borer, with emphasis on strains from Hawai‘i Island and comparisons to commercial strain GHA

A series of experiments investigated genetically diverse strains of Beauveria bassiana (Bb) isolated from coffee berry borer (CBB). Objectives included assessment of their biocontrol potential, particularly in comparison to Bb commercial strain GHA currently applied for CBB control, and identification of various attributes potentially contributing to their comparatively greater epizootic potential in CBB populations. Bioassays identified one strain from Hawai‘i Island and one from Puerto Rico with virulence greater than GHA based on equal weights of unformulated conidial powder (CP); however, the greater potency of the CPs was ultimately explained by their 2.4-fold greater conidial densities (ca. 3.1 vs 1.3 × 1011 viable conidia/g CP). Density was explained, in large part, by conidial size, but not by size alone. Bb-inoculated CBB held on moist filter paper were more susceptible to infection than those held on cooked green coffee bean (CGCB). A Bb strain representative of the most common Hawaiian haplotype produced 2.6x more conidia after death of CGCB-held beetles than GHA (19.1 vs 7.3 x106 conidia/cadaver). Following host death, no difference was observed in time to emergence and initial conidial production by GHA and a selected group of Hawaiian strains; however, mass sporulation was initiated within 2 days by strain GHA compared to 4–5 days by the Hawaiian strains. In a preliminary evaluation of conidial mass-production potential, CP yields of several strains were comparable to GHA on a weight basis and significantly greater than GHA on a conidial basis (1.3–1.6 vs 0.7 × 1013 viable conidia/kg barley substrate).

Assessing the joint effects of landscape, farm features and crop management practices on berry damage in coffee plantations

Coffee berry borer (CBB) (Hypothenemus hampei; Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) is a major insect pest affecting coffee cultivation that causes large economic losses worldwide. Characteristics related to its life cycle makes it very difficult to control. Usually, CBB control measures are carried out at plot scale, with almost no actions taken at wider landscape scales. It is unclear how plot level control strategies and landscape factors act alone or in combination to influence CBB infestation levels. We evaluated the joint effects of crop management at the plot level, of farm features, and of landscape structure at different spatial scales on CBB infestation in 50 Costa Rican coffee farms. On five plants in each farm, we estimated the maximum number of infested berries during the fruiting period. We measured three separate groups of variables related to plot management practices, farm features and landscape structure. To assess their single and joint contributions, their relative importance and the effects of these variables on the number of infested berries we used the variance partitioning approach of the RandomForest algorithm. When evaluating the groups of factors separately, we found that crop management explained 35% of the variability of number of infested berries, farm features 42% and landscape structure 27%. The joint contribution of all three groups of variables explained 48% of variability of the number of infested berries. However, when we assessed the single contributions of each set of variables, i.e., when controlling the other two set of variables, we found that farm features explained 17% of the variance of the number of infested berries, landscape structure 6% and crop management practices only 3%. The larger amount of the variance explained by the joint effect of crop management practices, farm features, and landscape structure suggests that to develop a pest management strategy at a local scale it is important to consider the effect of both local and landscape factors affecting pest abundance. The integrated CBB management plan should consider influences at multiple spatial scales and a coordinated action among farmers that share the same landscape would be beneficial.

Innovation Development of Coffee Berry Borrer (Hypothenemus hampei Ferr.) Pest Control Technology and Their Effectiveness

The Coffee Berry Borer (CBB) (Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari)(Coleoptera:Curculionidae:Scolytinae) is a major pest of coffee plants. It caused damage to coffee berries and economic losses for farmers. Various technologies have been carried out to control CBB, including cultural biological, chemical, and sanitation. However, of the technology control of CBB, only a few literature that discussed the effectiveness and efficiency, both socially, economically and their impact on the environment. Thus, this paper aimed to: 1) review research CBB control technology based on characteristics; and 2) assessing the effectiveness and efficiency of the technology in controlling CBB based on compatibility, applicability, availability, safety, sustainability, affordability and economic. This study was conducted using a systematic review of the literature from the search engine Science.direct, Google.scholar, which was identified from 1996 to 2020. The search resulted showed that there were 59 articles related to CBB control technology and were divided into several types, namely 22 articles that discuss technology in cultural, 31 articles that discuss biological control, 5 articles that discuss technology chemically, and 1 articles that discusses orchard sanitation technology. CBB control technologies that are considered to have compatibility, safety, sustainability, affordability and economic are cultural, biological control and sanitation. However, if it is related to applicability and availability, cultural and sanitation can be the main choice. Many studies on biological technology showing advantages compared to other technologies, thus, biological control technology as a preventive and monitoring effort is still being developed. One of them is developing biological technology with a landscape approach.

Predation of Coffee Berry Borer by a Green Lacewing.

We report here for the first time, the predation of coffee berry borer (CBB) Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) by a green lacewing species, Chrysoperla externa (Hagen). We showed in laboratory the predator ability to access CBB galleries, remove pest immature stages, and prey on them. We also observed predation by third instar larvae on CBB adults. With this note, we add a new predator to the reported list of species still little explored of CBB control.

Population dynamics of Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) according to the phenology of Coffea arabica L. in equatorial conditions of North Sumatra

In the Toba Highlands of North Sumatra (Indonesia), coffee production (Coffea arabica L. var. Sigarar Utang) is an important outcome for smallholders; however, the attack of the coffee berry borer (CBB) Hypothenemus hampei, is an obstacle for the development of coffee cultivation in this area. This pest causes great economic losses produced by the development of its offspring inside the coffee berries, making it difficult to control. This concerning situation has led us to consider the development of a CBB control strategy, but beforehand, it was necessary to acquire key information on the phenology of the coffee tree and its implication on the bioecology of the pest. Thus, two study designs were set up, one comprising six plots with two different age classes and the other corresponding to a single plot dedicated only to the study of short distance dispersal of CBB. Part of this study focused on the phenology of the coffee trees and showed that berry production mainly takes place in the upper parts of the trees and significantly decreases with tree age. Due to the equatorial climate, berries were practically always present. Berries were produced following two major flowering periods and some minor ones distributed over the year, and harvested at regular intervals. Berry distribution on the branches varied over time. Dynamics of infestations by CBB showed that ripe berries were more infested than unripe berries because they had been exposed longer to CBB attacks, that older trees were more exposed than younger trees and that infestation was evenly distributed along branches. In addition, internode pedestrian dispersal of CBBs was shown to occur, but considerably less frequently than airborne dispersal. In conclusion, it appears that in the agro-climatic context of the Toba region, the virtual year-round presence of berries - which fosters CBB infestations and CBB short-distance dispersal - is a constraint that must be taken into consideration for designing future pest management measures. To this end, it will be necessary in particular to evaluate the potential of trapping mainly used in tropical areas and to put into practice the sanitation harvesting applied in other countries.

Coffee Berry Borer (Hypothenemus hampei) and its role in the evolutionary diversification of the coffee market

The Coffee Berry Borer (CBB) is the main pest that affects coffee crops around the world, causing major economic losses and diminishing beverage quality. A mathematical model is formulated, from the perspective of the Adaptive Dynamics (AD) framework, to describe the evolution of coffee quality as a continuous differentiating attribute related to the mix of healthy and bored coffee. The study involves three stages: first, an agro-ecological model describes coffee production and growth of the CBB population prior to the processing of different qualities of coffee; second, a market model describes the competition between different blends of standard and special coffee; finally, the AD canonical equation is derived to describe the evolution of coffee quality resulting from innovations in the quality attribute filtered by market competition. Interestingly, AD allows to derive conditions for the emergence of diversity, i.e., the establishment of a second type of coffee that coexists with the former and, similarly, for subsequent branching in the quality attributes. The full model provides insights on the impact of CBB control strategies on the long-term market structure. Specifically, a strong control aimed at increasing coffee quality may impoverish the market diversity, independently of the consumers’ budget limitations and corresponding preference for either high or low quality.

Best time and doses to associate chemical and biological control of the coffee berry borer in highland region, Brazil

The coffee berry borer (CBB) Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) causes significant damage to the yield and quality of coffee beans. Cultural measures are important however, chemical and biological control must be adopted within an integrated CBB management system in order to prevent its damage mainly in larger areas. This study aimed to evaluate different doses and times of spray of the chemical insecticide metaflumizone and its association to the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana as a tool to the management of CBB in Arabica coffee. The study was carried out in a high dense crop of Arabica coffee cultivar Catuaí Vermelho at 700 m altitude in the highlands of Espírito Santo state, Brazil. The experimental design used was randomized blocks with eleven treatments, four replications, and plots of ten plants. Seven evaluations were carried out by sampling the berries in the upper, middle, and two sides of the coffee trees. Metaflumizone at a total dose of 3.5 L ha-1 showed high performance for the control of CBB under field conditions in regions of high altitude. The association of metaflumizone with B. bassiana reduced a mean of 88.5% the infestation level of CBB in the post-harvested coffee beans and it can be used as one of the tools for the Integrated Management of CBB under field conditions. Beauveria bassiana can be associated with metaflumizone to control CBB as a complementary spray in March and at a dose of 2.0 kg ha-1 and should be also used in the Integrated Management of CBB. The monitoring of CBB population must be carried out and the first spraying with chemical or biological insecticide must be started at the recommended control level and in the transit season of CBB when flying adults are exposed. Key words: Beauveria bassiana; Field conditions; Insect pest management; Metaflumizone; Monitoring.

Integrated management of the coffee berry borer: A comparison of cultural, biological, and ethological control

AbstractThe coffee berry borer (CBB) is among the most harmful pests to coffee crops across the world, causing enormous harm to small‐ scale coffee farmers in northern Peru. This study aimed to contrast three different CBB control methods; cultural control (field sanitation), ethological control (red traps baited with ethanol–methanol (1:1)), biological control (use of the Beauveria sp., strain) and an integration of the aforementioned methods by comparing each control method's efficiencies and CBB reduction percentage in coffee plantations located in the province of Rodriguez de Mendoza, Amazonas. Therefore, a completely randomized block design (CRBD) was applied. Subsequently, the results showed no statistical differences among treatments carried out in this study. However, high infestation reduction percentages of up to 70% were reached, evidencing the effect of these treatments. In addition, the final results were impacted by environmental conditions and population pressure.

Abundance of Coffee berry borer in feral, abandoned and managed coffee on Hawaii Island

AbstractCoffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari), the most damaging insect pest of coffee worldwide, was first detected on Hawaii Island in 2010. Poorly managed, abandoned and feral coffee sites on the island have since been thought to harbour coffee berry borer (CBB) populations, which then negatively impact neighbouring coffee farms. In the present study, we sought to quantify CBB abundance in these sites, which vary in management intensity and vegetation structure and diversity. We collected data on trap catch as a measure of CBB flight activity, fruit production and fruit infestation by CBB in eight well‐managed farms and sites that were either poorly managed, abandoned or feral (wild) coffee. Sites were sampled bi‐weekly over a period of 2 years from 2016 to 2017. We found that CBB flight activity was significantly higher in poorly managed sites relative to abandoned and feral sites, but was not significantly different from well‐managed sites. Coffee production in well‐managed farms was significantly higher than in abandoned and feral sites, but was not significantly different from poorly managed farms. CBB infestation in poorly managed sites was significantly higher than that observed in well‐managed, abandoned and feral sites. We estimated an average load of 11–25 CBB per branch at poorly managed sites, compared to 3–9 per branch at well‐managed sites, 1–16 per branch at abandoned sites and 1–3 per branch at feral sites. Our findings suggest that poorly managed sites should be prioritized for implementation of CBB control measures as part of a landscape‐level integrated pest management (IPM) programme.

Decrease in β‐diversity, but not in α‐diversity, of ants in intensively managed coffee plantations

Abstract Local land‐use intensity and surrounding landscape complexity affect the diversity of local species. Ants are an important biocontrol agent of the coffee berry borer (CBB), the main coffee pest worldwide. Although intensification of coffee production and deforestation in the surrounding landscape may reduce ant diversity, α‐ and β‐diversity patterns of ants in coffee landscapes remain poorly understood. Ants foraging in coffee bushes were sampled, using tuna baits along an agricultural intensification gradient (forest, shaded coffee and sun coffee) in a Neotropical coffee landscape. We evaluated the differences in α and β components of ant richness, community differentiation and habitat specificity of ant communities, in response to land‐use type and the percentage of surrounding forest. We found that ant β‐diversity and community differentiation among plots were significantly reduced with coffee management intensity. The amount of forest border adjacent to coffee plantations did not affect α‐ or β‐diversity. Yet, ant habitat specificity in the forest increased with plots having greater amounts of forest border, although in sun coffee plantations, the opposite was found: plots with greater forest border decreased habitat specificity. We found that conserving forest at landscape scales enhanced β‐diversity, community differentiation and habitat specificity of ants in the forest. Loss of forest cover at landscape scales (i.e. predominance of sun coffee) may lead to biotic homogenisation of ant communities. In conclusion, landscape‐wide ant richness is important in terms of biological CBB control by conservation.

Incorporating Beauveria bassiana Into an Integrated Pest Management Plan for Coffee Berry Borer in Hawaii

Since its recent establishment in Hawaii, the coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), threatens yields, quality and price of coffee production. A limited number of insecticides (primarily Beauveria bassiana) is used to control CBB with minimal disruption in this agroecosystem. We evaluated two insecticide spray strategies across eight coffee farms in the Kona and Ka‘u Districts of Hawaii Island. Coffee growers sprayed insecticides approximately monthly (calendar basis) or in response to CBB field-monitoring data (threshold-based). Overall, farms adopting thresholds performed more insecticide applications early in the season (May to July), but significantly fewer overall, when compared with calendar-based strategies (i.e., 4–5 versus 7–11 seasonal sprays, respectively). Generalized linear models assessing the variability in CBB infestation rates, berry penetration, and infection by B. bassiana indicated that threshold-based sprays provided equivalent CBB-control compared with calendar ones. When corrected for yield, there was a cost saving for threshold versus calendar-based spray programs (i.e., cost 5.4% versus 11.8% of gross yield). Total defects in processed coffee after harvest were statistically similar between the two spray regimes; i.e., 8.5% ± 1.0% and 10.4% ± 1.7%, respectively. We hypothesize that B. bassiana applied early in the season is more effective, since the fungus targets initial CBB infestations when the prolonged location of founder females in the outer berry endosperm favors its infection. Our study suggests that spray timing for CBB based on field monitoring data can reduce costs, however additional measures, such as field and post-harvest sanitation, are necessary to achieve sustainable CBB control in the Islands.

Effect of coffee tree pruning on berry production and coffee berry borer infestation in the Toba Highlands (North Sumatra)

The productivity of Arabica coffee trees in the Toba Highlands (North Sumatra) suffers from inadequate agricultural practices and virtually non-existent protection against the coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae). While awaiting the development of a CBB control programme, this study proposed to achieve a rapid gain in productivity through coffee tree pruning. A comparison between the average production of ripe berries on pruned and unpruned coffee trees showed that pruning resulted in significantly higher yields over a two-year period. Within this increased production, the quantity of infested berries remained similar in the two treatments, due to the inherent dispersion behaviour of CBB, which seemed to occur throughout the fruiting period. Proper coffee tree pruning did not lead to any harvest losses in the first year, but affected the dynamics of production with a significant increase in the second year. As that improvement did not cause any increase in the number of infested berries in the pruned coffee trees, infestation rates fell. However, towards the end of the second harvest in year two, infestation levels of those coffee trees tended to reach those of unpruned coffee trees. In the Toba Highlands, pruning is probably the first step needed to improve yields and help to reduce CBB infestations, by bolstering the generally recommended sanitation harvesting.

Aspek Ekologis dan Determinan Produksi Kopi Arabika Spesialti di Wilayah Dataran Tinggi Sumatera Utara

Monoculture farming of arabica coffee plantation does not support environmental sustainability. International market demands arabica coffee product in compliance with an environmentally friendly standard which promotes ecological-based management. This study aims to identify the ecological aspects of specialty arabica coffee cultivation, and to analyze the effect of shade tree population, the use of organic fertilizer, the pruning of coffee crop, land conservation, and the control of coffee berry borer on specialty arabica coffee production. The data of ecological aspect was collected from three regencies in North Sumatera Province, namely Simalungun, North Tapanuli, and Dairi. Production determinant was analyzed concerning farming cultivation in three districts of Simalungun Regency namely Sidamanik, Pamatang Sidamanik, and Dolok Pardamean. The location was determined with multi-stage cluster sampling and the farmer samples with simple random sampling. The ecological aspect was analyzed descriptively while the determinant of arabica coffee production was analyzed with multiple regression method. The result shows that the shaded arabica coffee farming covers only 32% of the total arabica coffee production in the study area with a population of 54 trees/ha. Land conservation conducted by the farmers utilizes coffee fruit mulch (92%), individual terrace (3%), rorak (4%), and bench terrace (1%). The arabica coffee farming system managed by the farmers consists of monoculture (30%), mix farming (24%), shade coffee (32%), and multistrata coffee (14%). The pruning of coffee plants and integrated control of coffee berry borer has a significant effect on specialty arabica coffee production. Land conservation, population of shade tree, and organic fertilizer are an important production determinant on arabica coffee production in the short-term. These three ecological variables play a role to maintain land preservation and support sustainable arabica coffee production in the long-term.

Pest Management Strategies Against the Coffee Berry Borer (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae).

Coffee ( Coffea arabica and C. canephora) is one of the most widely traded agricultural commodities and the main cash crop in ∼80 tropical countries. Among the factors that limit coffee production, the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) has been considered the main insect pest, causing losses of over U.S. $500 million dollars annually. Control of this pest has been hindered by two main factors: the cryptic nature of the insect (i.e., protected inside the coffee berry) and the availability of coffee berries in the field allowing the survival of the pest from one generation to the next. Coffee berry borer control has primarily been based on the use of synthetic insecticides. Management strategies have focused on the use of African parasitoids ( Cephalonomia stephanoderis, Prorops nasuta, and Phymastichus coffea), fungal entomopathogens ( Beauveria bassiana), and insect traps. These approaches have had mixed results. Recent work on the basic biology of the insect has provided novel insights that might be useful in developing novel pest management strategies. For example, the discovery of symbiotic bacteria responsible for caffeine breakdown as part of the coffee berry borer microbiome opens new possibilities for pest management via the disruption of these bacteria. Some chemicals with repellent propieties have been identified, and these have a high potential for field implementation. Finally, the publication of the CBB genome has provided insights on the biology of the insect that will help us to understand why it has been so successful at exploiting the coffee plant. Here I discuss the tools we now have against the CBB and likely control strategies that may be useful in the near future.