Integrated Pest Management of Coffee Berry Borer in Hawaii and Puerto Rico: Current Status and Prospects

Abstract

The coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei, is the most significant insect pest of coffee worldwide. Since CBB was detected in Puerto Rico in 2007 and Hawaii in 2010, coffee growers from these islands are facing increased costs, reduced coffee quality, and increased pest management challenges. Here, we outline the CBB situation, and summarize the findings of growers, researchers, and extension professionals working with CBB in Hawaii. Recommendations for the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program for CBB in Hawaiian Islands and Puerto Rico include: (1) establish a CBB monitoring program, (2) synchronize applications of insecticides with peak flight activity of CBB especially during the early coffee season, (3) conduct efficient strip-picking as soon as possible after harvest and perform pre-harvest sanitation picks in CBB hotspots if needed, (4) establish protocols to prevent the escape of CBB from processing areas and when transporting berries during harvest, and (5) stump prune by blocks. Progress achieved includes the introduction of the mycoinsecticide Beauveria bassiana to coffee plantations, the coordination of area-wide CBB surveys, the establishment and augmentation of native beetle predators, and an observed reduction of CBB populations and increased coffee quality where IPM programs were established. However, CBB remains a challenge for coffee growers due to regional variability in CBB pressures, high costs, and labor issues, including a lack of training and awareness of CBB management practices among growers.

The Hawaii Protocol for Scientific Monitoring of Coffee Berry Borer: a Model for Coffee Agroecosystems Worldwide

“…, the release of predatory beetles or parasitoids), and the application of biopesticides ( e.g. , the entomopathogenic fungus B. bassiana ) 11 12 . Current recommendations for CBB management in Hawaii also suggest regular field monitoring using alcohol-baited traps and the "Thirty tree Sampling Method" developed by Cenicafé 13 14 .…”

A Novel Method to Evaluate the Reproductive Potential of Phymastichus coffea (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) Under Laboratory Conditions

“…With its introduction to Puerto Rico in 2007 and Hawaii in 2010, coffee farmers are trying to adapt integrated pest management (IPM) strategies that have been used with success for small coffee growers (pequenos caficultores) in Latin American countries for the control of this pest (Aristizabal et al 2016). Among these strategies are the use of two African parasitoids Cephalonomia stephanoderis Betrem and Prorops nasuta Waterston (both Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) through a farmer participatory, which has been an important component of IPM programs in Colombia (Aristizabal et al 2011, 2016, 2017). …”

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

“…Currently, management strategies for the CBB in Hawaii include pruning, sanitation of infested berries, and pesticide applications (Aristizábal et al, 2016(Aristizábal et al, , 2017bKawabata et al, 2017;Aristizábal, 2018b). Studies investigating additional control tactics, such as the release of CBB-predatory beetles (Follett et al, 2016) and the introduction of specific parasitoids (Follett, 2018), are ongoing.…”

“…Cultural control provides an option to improve late-season CBB management. Several studies (Bustillo et al, 1998;Aristizábal et al, 2011) document that frequent harvesting (2-3 weeks intervals) and/or "strip picking" at the end of the season to remove remaining infested berries can be effective at reducing the carry-over of CBB to the next growing season (Aristizábal et al, 2017b). However, the high cost and shortage of available field labor are challenges faced by coffee growers in Hawaii employing crop sanitation (Aristizábal, 2018a).…”

“…Berry infestation rates by the CBB were monitored at 2-4 week intervals, starting early in the season (May-June) and continuing through harvest (December-January). Assessments at each location used the "30-tree sampling plan" developed in Colombia (Bustillo et al, 1998) and adopted in Hawaii (Aristizábal et al, 2017b(Aristizábal et al, , 2018Kawabata et al, 2017). On each farm, a representative coffee plot was chosen (0.6-1.5 ha), and 30 trees within were randomly selected.…”