Source: UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO AT MAYAGUEZ submitted to
THE INTRODUCTION AND ESTABLISHMENT OF PARASITOIDS FOR THE BIOCONTROL OF THE COFFEE BERRY BORER, HYPOTHENEMUS HAMPEI
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
HATCH
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
0225040
Grant No.
(N/A)
Project No.
PR00436
Proposal No.
(N/A)
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
(N/A)
Project Start Date
Jan 1, 2011
Project End Date
Dec 31, 2015
Grant Year
(N/A)
Project Director
Gallardo, FE.
Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF PUERTO RICO AT MAYAGUEZ
P. O. BOX 9000
MAYAGUEZ,PR 00681
Performing Department
Crops and Agroenvironmental Sciences 1
Non Technical Summary
The coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari), became one of the main pests of coffee in Puerto Rico since its introduction in 2007. This invasive pest has a direct impact on the agricultural sector of coffee, affecting the commodity, market, trade, environment, and other economic sectors. The suppression of this pest by means of chemical control has always been difficult and costly mainly because its life cycle occurs inside the coffee berry. Thus, the use of agro-ecological practices, including the use of natural enemies, is recommended. This project will focus on the introduction and further release of the parasitoids Cephalonomia stephanoderis Betrem, Prorops nasuta Waterston and Phymastichus coffea LaSalle, for the biocontrol of the coffee berry borer. The parasitoids will be introduced from Colombia, mass reared and release in selected coffee plantations. The outcomes will have a great impact in promoting the use of biocontrol agents in combination with other control measures for a sustainable coffee production. Thus will result in reduction of insecticide use, enhancement of economic opportunities, and provides for the well-being of the people in the coffee production areas of Puerto Rico.
Animal Health Component
(N/A)
Research Effort Categories
Basic
(N/A)
Applied
(N/A)
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
21522321130100%
Knowledge Area
215 - Biological Control of Pests Affecting Plants;

Subject Of Investigation
2232 - Coffee;

Field Of Science
1130 - Entomology and acarology;
Goals / Objectives
The main goal of this project is the introduction and mass rearing of the parasitoids Cephalonomia stephanoderis, Prorops nasuta and Phymastichus coffea for field release in selected coffee plantations of Puerto Rico for the biological control of Hypothenemus hampei. To achieve this goal we need to accomplish the following objectives: 1) establish an artificial mass-reared colony for the coffee bery borer (CBB);.2) Introduce the parasitoids C. stephanoderis, P. nasuta and P. Coffea; 3) Establish a colony of the parasitoids and 4) Field releases and establishment of the parasitoids. The outcomes of this project would aim to develop locally relevant and affordable sustainable pest control of the CBB that does not rely on insecticides. These studies will have a great impact in promoting the use of biocontrol agents of the CBB in combination with other control measures in an integrated pest management program. The stakeholder analysis suggest that conservationists groups (particularly those concerned with the preservation of the biodiversity of the coffee region), landowners and habitants of the west-central region of Puerto Rico, the coffee sector of Puerto Rico's agricultural industry, and the Puerto Rican Government (Department of Agriculture) are concerned with the biological control of the CBB. These practices will increase chances for success in the CBB population management and will result in a reduction of insecticide use thus protecting the environment, enhancing economic opportunities, and providing for the well being of the people in the coffee production areas of Puerto Rico in a sustainable way.
Project Methods
The coffee berry borer (CBB) parasitoids, C. stephanoderis, P. coffea and P. nasuta will be imported from Bio-Cafe Laboratories at CENICAFE, Colombia to Puerto Rico via USDA-APHIS Quarantine facilities at the Bio-Control Lab, UPR, Mayaguez Campus after obtaining local and federal permits for their introduction. Due to space limitations in the Lab we will work with one parasitoid at a time, starting with C. stephanoderis, and followed by P. coffea and P. nasuta. The emerging parasitoid adults, F1 generation, will be used to conduct the Quarantine bioassays. After completing the bioassays (host specificity test on a selection of non-target scolytid and/or curculionid species associated with coffee plantations) for one species the next parasitoid specie will be imported from Colombia. After the completion of bioassays an authorization for field release by USDA-APHIS will be submitted. For the field release-establishment studies the parasitoids will be mass reared. The parasitoids C. stephanoderis and P. nasuta will be reared on dry mature coffee beans and from pupae and pre-pupae recollected in the dust from sieved artificial diet pellets previously infested with CBB. Some dry berries will be dissected to monitor the rearing progress of the parasitoids. Phymastichus coffea will be reared exposing CBB adult females to the parasitoid. Every ten days CBB adults will be dissected under a stereomicroscope to observe the presence of the different stages of the parasitoid. The emerging parasitoids will be collected and use for the field establishment or release experiments. The releases will be at six plantations within the three ecological regions where coffee is cultivated in Puerto Rico. Full sunlight and shade plantations will be selected. An estimation of CBB percent infestation will be recorded prior to the field releases. At each site, 20 coffee branches will be selected at random within 10 trees for each one of the parasitoids under study. The number of berries/branch will be estimated and each branch will be covered with an entomological sleeve. In each sleeve CBB adults will be introduced at two/fruit; eight days later 200 wasps of C. stephanoderis or P. nasuta will be introduced. In the case of P. coffea 200 wasps will be released per sleeve 48 hours after CBB introduction. Each sleeve will contain only one parasitoid species. Each sleeve will be removed 14 days after parasitoid introduction. Weekly samples of 40 berries will be collected and dissected to evaluate the biological stages of the parasitoids. To determine the establishment of the parasitoids weekly samples of 40 berries infested with the CBB will be collected at random on 10 trees/site from July to February. One site (coffee plantation in which the parasitoids were previously release) will be selected in each of the three ecological areas. Samples will be collected a year after parasitoid releases. Coffee berries will be dissected to evaluate the biological stages of the parasitoids. Parasitoids data on percent infestation, CBB mortality and percent recovery of parasitoids will be collected and subjected to statistical analysis.

Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/15

Outputs
Target Audience:Puerto Rico Coffee farmers; University of Puerto Rico Extension Specialists; Department of Agriculture Agronomist; Puerto Rico Coffee Growers Association; University of Puerto Rico - Undergraduate and Graduate Students. Changes/Problems:The parasitoid Cephalonomia stephanoderis Betrem was imported from BioCafé-CENICAFE, Colombia to the Quarantine facilities at UPR-Mayaguez. Carrier problems at the airport caused a delay in the arrival of parasitoids at the Quarantine Lab at Mayagüez-UPR, decreasing the percent of recovery of parasitoids. The introductions of P. nasuta and P. coffea were not accomplished due mainly to problems related with the manipulation by the carrier and the lack of a Quarantine Lab. The Quarantine Lab at Mayagüez was not certified for accepting introductions and was closed. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Profesional Development: Thesis work toward MS in Crop Protection: Olga P. González, Dinámica Poblacional de la broca del café, Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari, in Puerto Rico. MS Thesis UPR-RUM August 2014. 69 pp. Training activities: Yobana Mariño - Ph.D. student, UPR-Río Piedras, workshop and training in natural enemies of the coffee bery borer. May-2012. Jeffrey Caraballo - Ph.D. student Univ of Hawaii - Horticulture Department. Management of coffee shade to enhance natural enemies of the coffee berry borer. June 2014-September 2015. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results have been disseminated to agronomists and farmers in professional and communities meetings. Thus an awareness of the coffee farmers about the negative impact of insecticides on parasitoids for the control of the coffee berry borer has been achieved. The parasitoid Cephalonomia sp. is decreasing the borer population by 8%. The biocontrol impact of the parasitoid to the coffee berry borer was estimated in a reduction of losses from 20% ($4.4 million) to 12% ($2.6 million) at the farm level. Thus, the estimated dollar value is $ 1.8 million. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Project Goals: #1: Establish an artificial mass-rearing colony of the coffee berry borer. An artificial colony has been maintained at the Adjuntas Experiment Station. #2: Introduce the parasitoids C. stephanoderis, P. nasuta and P. coffea. During 2011 the parasitoid Cephalonomia stephanoderis Betrem was imported from BioCafé-CENICAFE, Colombia to the Quarantine facilities at UPR-Mayaguez. Delays in the arrival of the shipment of the parasitoids at the Quarantine Lab at Mayagüez decreased the percentage of recovery of parasitoids. No further introductions were done. #3: Establish a colony of the parasitoids. A colony of C. stephanoderis collected from coffee berries is maintained at the Adjuntas Agricultural Experiment Station (AAES). #4: Field liberations and/or establishment of the parasitoids. The parasitoid C. stephanoderis is well adapted and distributed in the coffee plantations of Puerto Rico. During 2014 we estimated that 8 percent of the coffee berry borer populations were naturally parasitized by C. stephanoderis. However, field liberations of laboratory mass reared parasitoids increased parasitism to 20 percent in the experimental plots at the AAES. The technique developed by Biocafe-Cenicafe was used for the parasitoid liberations.

Publications

  • Type: Journal Articles Status: Submitted Year Published: 2015 Citation: F. Gallardo-Covas, E. Abreu & O.P. Gonz�lez-Cardona. 2015. Natural Parasitism of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei by its larval parasitoid Cephalonomia stephanoderis Betrem, in Puerto Rico. Journal of Agriculture UPR.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2014 Citation: Edwin Abreu & Fernando Gallardo. Cephalonomia stephanoderis en Pueerto Rico. Annual Meeting Puerto Rico Agricultural Sciences Society. November 2014, Ponce, Puerto Rico.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Olga P. Gonz�lez & Fernando Gallardo. 2013. Din�mica poblacional de la broca del caf� Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) en Puerto Rico. 58 Reuni�n Anual de la PCCMCA. Honduras. Abril 2013.
  • Type: Conference Papers and Presentations Status: Published Year Published: 2013 Citation: Fernando Gallardo & Olga P. Gonz�lez. 2013. Manejo Integrado de la broca del caf�, Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari, en Puerto Rico. Annual Meeting Puerto Rico Agricultural Sciences Society. November 2013, Hormigueros, Puerto Rico.


Progress 10/01/13 to 09/30/14

Outputs
Target Audience: Puerto Rico Coffee farmers University of Puerto Rico Extension Specialists Department of Agriculture Agronomist Puerto Rico Coffee Growers Association Changes/Problems: As explained before, in 2011, delays in the arrival from Colombia of the shipment of parasitoids at the Quarantine Lab in Mayaguez, decreased the percentage of recovery of parasitoids. No further introductions were done. What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? The project PI attended the annual meeting of the Puerto Rico Agricultural Sciences Society and made a presentation about the status of the coffee berry borer in Puerto Rico. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The results have been disseminated to agronomists and farmers in professional and community meetings.A short video was created to demonstrate to farmers, agronomists and extensionists how the parasitoid is acting to control the populations of the coffee berry borer so that they can understand the role of biological control. Thus an awareness of the coffee farmers about the negative impact of insecticides on parasitoids for the control of the coffee berry borer has been achieved. The parasitoid Cephalonomia sp. is decreasing the borer population by 8%. The biocontrol impact of the parasitoid to the coffee berry borer was estimated in a reduction of losses from 20% ($4.4 million) to 12% ($2.6 million) at the farm level. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Objective 1: Continue with the coffee berry borer lab colony in the AAES. Objective 2: This was only partially accomplished due to problems with the introduction of the parasitoids from Colombia to Puerto Rico. Objective 3: The C. stephanoderis colony at the AAES will be continued. Specimens collected during this year will be used for new batches of the parasitoids to be field liberated. Objective 4: New field liberations will be conducted at the AAES and a private farm during next reporting period.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? 1. Establish an artificial mass-rearing colony of the coffee berry borer. An artificial colony has been maintained at the Adjuntas Experiment Station. 2. Introduce the parasitoids C. stephanoderis, P. nasuta and P. coffea. During 2011 the parasitoid Cephalonomia stephanoderis Betrem was imported from BioCafé-CENICAFE, Colombia to the Quarantine facilities at UPR-Mayaguez. Delays in the arrival of the shipment of the parasitoids at the Quarantine Lab at Mayagüez decrease the percentage recovery of parasitoids. No further introductions were done. 3. Establish a colony of the parasitoids. A colony of C. stephanoderis collected from coffee berries is maintained at the Adjuntas Agricultural Experiment Station (AAES). 4. Field liberations and/or establishment of the parasitoids. The parasitoid C. stephanoderis is well adapted and distributed in the coffee plantations of Puerto Rico. During 2014 we estimated that 8 percent of the coffee berry borer populations were naturally parasitized by C. stephanoderis. However, field liberations of laboratory mass reared parasitoid increased parasitism to 20 percent in the experiment plots at the AAES. The technique developed by Biocafe-Cenicafe was used for the parasitoid liberations.

Publications


    Progress 01/01/13 to 09/30/13

    Outputs
    Target Audience: Coffee farmers and agronomists: Techniques and practices for enhancing the biological control of the coffee berry borer using parasitoids. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided? Nothing Reported How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest? The results have been disseminated to agronomists and farmers in professional and community meetings. Coffee farmers are now aware of the negative impact of insecticides over parasitoids for the control of the coffee berry borer. The parasitoid Cephalonomia sp. is decreasing the borer population by 8%. The biocontrol impact of the parasitoid to the coffee berry borer was estimated in a reduction of losses from 20% ($4.4 million) to 12% ($2.6 million) at the farm level, with an estimated dollar value of $ 1.8 million. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals? Nothing Reported

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? Project Goals: #1: Establish an artificial mass-rearing colony of the coffee berry borer. An artificial colony has been maintained at the Adjuntas Experiment Station. #2: Introduce the parasitoids C. stephanoderis, P. nasuta and P. coffea. During 2011 the parasitoid Cephalonomia stephanoderis Betrem was imported from BioCafé-CENICAFE, Colombia, to the Quarantine facilities at UPR-Mayaguez. Delays in the arrival of the shipment of the parasitoids at the Quarantine Lab at Mayagüez decreased the percentage of recovery of parasitoids. No further introductions were done. #3: Establish a colony of the parasitoids. A colony of C. stephanoderis collected from coffee berries is maintained at the Adjuntas Experiment Station. However, the number of parasitoids for further field liberations is increasing very slowly. #4: Field liberations and/or establishment of the parasitoids. The parasitoid C. stephanoderis is well adapted and distributed in the coffee plantations of Puerto Rico. During 2012 we estimated an eight percent parasitization.

    Publications


      Progress 01/01/12 to 12/31/12

      Outputs
      OUTPUTS: The parasitoid Cephalonomia stephanoderis Betrem was imported from BioCafe-CENICAFE, Colombia by the Quarantine facilities at UPR-Mayaguez. Carry-on event problems at the airport were the cause for a delayed arrival at the Quarintine Lab at Mayaguez, UPR, thus decreasing the percent recovery of parasitoids. Next introduction needs to be done by hand-carrying. The field survey, to determine the presence of the coffee berry borer (CBB) natural enemies, was continued throughout the coffee region of Puerto Rico. The main natural enemy collected was C. stephanoderis (percent infestations < 7). Predators of CBB found in dry coffee berries on branches or dry berries fallen into the soil: Hemiptera: Anthocoridae: Calliodes sp.; Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Wasmannia auropuntata, Myrmelochista ramulorum; Coloeoptera: Cucujoidea: Rhizophagidae: Monotominae; Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae: Haplothrips sp. PARTICIPANTS: Evelio Hernandez, Agronomist - Agricultural Experiment Station, UPR. Jennifer Pagan, Research Technician - Agric. Exp. Station - UPR - Adjuntas Substation. TARGET AUDIENCES: Coffee farmers and Agronomists: Techniques and practices for enhancing the biological control of coffee berry borer by using parasitoids. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

      Impacts
      Awareness of the coffee farmers regarding the negative impact of insecticides for the control of the CBB promotes the use of natural enemies for suppression of this pest. We estimated that the field liberations of the parasitoid Cephalonomia sp. can decrease the CBB population by 20%. This information will help in promoting the use of biocontrol agents against the CBB in combination with other control measures for an integrated pest management program. These practices increase chances for success in the CBB population management and will result in a reduction of insecticide use, thus protecting the environment, enhancing economic opportunities, and in providing for the sustainable well-being of the people in the coffee production areas of Puerto Rico. The impact of the biocontrol measures is estimated for the reduction of losses from 20% ($4.4 million) to 12% ($2.6 million) at the farm level. Thus, the estimated dollar value is $ 1.8 million.

      Publications

      • No publications reported this period


      Progress 01/01/11 to 12/31/11

      Outputs
      OUTPUTS: A field survey was conducted throughout the coffee region of Puerto Rico to determine the presence of coffee berry borer (CBB) natural enemies. The natural enemies collected were Cephalonomia stephanoderis Betrem from coffee beans collected at Adjuntas and Lares (percentage infestations < 5), predators of CBB found in dry coffee berry on branches or in dry berries over the soil included Hemiptera: Anthocoridae: Calliodes sp., Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Wasmannia auropuntata, Myrmelochista ramulorum, Coloeoptera: Cucujoidea: Rhizophagidae: Monotominae Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae: Haplothrips sp. The parasitoid Phymasthichus coffea La Salle was imported from BioCafe-CENICAFE, Colombia, into the Quarantine facilities at UPR-Mayaguez. Host specificity tests were conducted to determine whwther if P. coffea is able to parasitize other species of Scolytidae. Only the bark beetle Hypothenemus seriatus (Eichhoff) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae: Cryphalini) was parasitized by P. coffea. PARTICIPANTS: Evelio Hernandez, Agronomist - Agricultural Experiment Station, UPR. Jeniifer Pagan, Research Technitian - Agric. Exp. Station - UPR - Adjuntas Substation. TARGET AUDIENCES: Coffee farmers and Agronomists: Techniques and practices for enhancing biological control of coffee berry borer by using parasitoids. PROJECT MODIFICATIONS: Nothing significant to report during this reporting period.

      Impacts
      The awareness of coffee farmers about the negative impact of using insecticides for the control of the CBB promotes the use of natural enemies for suppression of this pest. We estimated that the field liberation of the parasitoid Cephalonomia sp. can decrease the CBB population by 20%. This measure will help in promoting the use of biocontrol agents of the CBB in combination with other control measures in an integrated pest management program. These practices increase chances for success in the CBB population management and result in a reduction of insecticide use, thus in a sustainable way protecting the environment, enhancing economic opportunities, and providing for the social well-being of people in the coffee production areas of Puerto Rico. The impact of the biocontrol measures to control the CBB is estimated at a reduction of losses from 20% ($4.4 million) to 12% ($2.6 million) at the farm level. Thus, the estimated dollar value is $ 1.8 million.

      Publications

      • Abreu-Rodriguez E., and F. Gallardo-Covas. 2011. "Presencia de Cephalonomia stephanoderis (Hymenoptera: Bethylidae) parasitoide de la broca del cafe, Hypothenemus hampei en Puerto Rico". Proceedings of the Sociedad Puertorriquena de Ciencias Agricolas, November 2011. Ponce, PR. pp. 9.