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Title: FUNGI ASSOCIATED WITH THE COFFEE BERRY BORER HYPOTHENEMUS HAMPEI FERRARI (COLEOPTERA:SCOLYTIDAE).

Author
item Vega, Fernando
item MERCADIER, GUY - USDA,ARS,CEDEX 5,FRANCE
item Dowd, Patrick

Submitted to: Proceedings of the International Scientific Colloquium on Coffee
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/11/2000
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: Alternative pest management options against the coffee berry borer, a serious coffee pest throughout the world, are needed.As a first step in developing these options, a search for natural enemies of the coffee berry borer was conducted in different countries. Several fungi were isolated from the insect, including the toxigenic fungus Aspergillusochraceus, known to produce ochratoxin A. This finding indicates that the coffee berry borer might be serving as a vector for a toxigenic fungus, and that plans by the coffee industry aimed at reducing ochratoxin levels in coffee should take into consideration the presence of this insect in the field

Technical Abstract: Insects have been shown to serve as vectors for a wide array of fungi. In some cases, insect-vectored fungi produce potent toxins in the host plant, which might create problems for the food industry. Recent findings indicate that the coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) could be vectoring toxigenic fungi in coffee plantations