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The coffee berry borer (CBB), so called “broca del café”, is originally from Africa and invaded Colombia in 1988. Classical biological control was attempted through the importation of African parasitoids, but after repeated releases, most of the parasitoid species did not become established. The objective of this research was to determine if releases of the parasitoid Prorops nasuta in CBB dispersal coffee plots, followed by releases of the parasitoid Phymastichus coffea in CBB colonization coffee plots within coffee farms, could lead to an overall decrease in the damage caused by this pest to coffee berries. The results showed that CBB populations decreased from the dispersal, and in the colonization coffee plots, resulted in lower levels of CBB infestation in coffee berries in the field and reduced crop loss. Well-timed and targeted release of these African parasitoids could be used in an area-wide control program against the CBB to lower population levels, reduce crop damage, and replace the use of chemical insecticides in an integrated pest management (IPM) program.
Citation:
Benavides, P., Gil, Z. N., Escobar, L. E., Navarro-Escalante, L., Follett, P., & Diaz-Soltero, H. (2023). Pilot Testing of an Area-Wide Biological Control Strategy against the Coffee Berry Borer in Colombia Using African Parasitoids. Insects, 14(11), 865. https://doi.org/10.3390/insects14110865
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