Location: Tropical Crop and Commodity Protection Research
Project Number: 2040-43000-018-043-I
Project Type: Interagency Reimbursable Agreement
Start Date: Apr 1, 2024
End Date: Mar 31, 2025
Objective:
Implement current technologies for the mass rearing of the coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampea) and its adult parasitoid (Phymasticus coffea). Make first releases of P. coffea in Hawaii against coffee berry borer.
Approach:
1. Establish a strong colony of coffee berry borer on artificial diet. CBB will be mass-reared on artificial diet at ARS-PBARC and UH Manoa. Beetles will initially be reared in small containers, and later moved into an effective mass rearing system based on the CENICAFE rearing methods. Strict sanitation procedures will be applied to ensure that pathogen-free colonies are maintained for P. coffea rearing.
2. Import Phymastichus coffea from Cenicafé into Hawaii quarantine and rear P. coffea on CBB through two generations. Permits have been issued by USDA-APHIS and HDOA for importation and release of P. coffea in Hawaii. Two generations of the wasps will be reared in quarantine (likely both HDOA and USDA Forest Service facilities), on CBB from the mass rearing colonies.
3. Establish colony of P. coffea in the laboratory and system for mass rearing and release. After the completion of two generations in quarantine, we will establish colonies for mass rearing at ARS-PBARC and UH Manoa.
4. First releases of P. coffea on Hawaii coffee farms. We will attempt to make initial releases on two selected coffee farms on Oahu and Hawaii island by September 2024. These releases will be made to determine whether late-season establishment can be achieved. Approximately 10,000 wasps will be released at each location.
