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Title: Where to sample? Ecological implications of sampling strata in determining abundance and impact of natural enemies of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei

Author
item JARAMILLE, JULIANA - UNIV OF HANNOVER, GERMANY
item CHABI-OLAYE, A - ICIPE, NAIROBI, KENYA
item BORGEMEISTER, C - ICIPE, NAIROBI, KENYA
item KAMONJO, C - ICIPE, NAIROBI, KENYA
item POEHLING, H - UNIV OF HANNOVER, GERMANY
item Vega, Fernando

Submitted to: Biological Control
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/16/2008
Publication Date: 6/1/2009
Citation: Jaramille, J., Chabi-Olaye, A., Borgemeister, C., Kamonjo, C., Poehling, H.M., Vega, F.E. 2009. Where to sample? Ecological implications of sampling strata in determining abundance and impact of natural enemies of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei. Biological Control. 49:245-253.

Interpretive Summary: The coffee berry borer is the most devastating pest of coffee throughout the world and causes millions of dollars in losses each year. Biologically-based insect control using beneficial insects reduces damage to crops and saves farmers time and money. In this paper we report results of a two-year field survey for beneficial insects attacking the coffee berry borer in Western Kenya. A beneficial insect known as Prorops nasuta was quite common throughout the sampling period and was mostly recovered from coffee berry borer-infested coffee berries that had fallen to the ground. This information will be of use to coffee scientists, entomologists, and the coffee industry.

Technical Abstract: Cephalonomia stephanoderis and Prorops nasuta are two of the three parasitoids of African origin that have been introduced to coffee producing areas of the Americas as biological control agents of the coffee berry borer (CBB; Hypothenemus hampei). Both bethylid parasitoids have become established in the field but their effect on the CBB has been limited. A two-year field study in Western Kenya has found P. nasuta to be the most important, effective, and dominant CBB parasitoid, with CBB-infested coffee berries that have fallen to the ground being the main source of CBB natural enemies. The design and field use of a tent-like structure to place CBB-infested coffee berries, which allows the emergence of parasitoids but not of the pest, is discussed. This structure could serve to enhance CBB biological control by C. stephanoderis and P. nasuta in the Americas.