Biological control of coffee pest

Parasitic wasps found in East and West Africa have been introduced into Ecuador and Mexico to control the Coffee Berry Borer. The Borer has been spreading steadily through all the coffee-growing regions of the world and it is now a severe problem from Brazil to Central America. Scientists from the Commonwealth Agricultural Bureau Institute of Biological Control were requested several years ago to find biological agents to control the pest. After looking at potential organisms in East and West Africa they selected two parasitic wasps, Cephalonomia stephanoderis and Prorops nasuta. C.stephanoderis was found in Togo, cultured under quarantine in UK and introduced first into Ecuador and then last year into Mexico. C.stephanoderis crawls into the burrows of the borer and lays its eggs where the hatched larvae-feed on the borer grubs. First results in Ecuador show that it has parasitized half the borer population. P.nasuta was collected in Kenya in 1987, and a separate sample was subsequently taken from Togo. It is hoped that the two populations, from different areas, may extend the range of control. CIBC's scientists have also developed techniques for rearing these biologicaf control agents in the laboratory using infected coffee berries collected from the field. Trials have shown that more borers survive if the initial release is at night. CAB International Institute of Biological Control Silwood Park - Ascot Berkshire SL5 7PY UKParasitic wasps found in East and West Africa have been introduced into Ecuador and Mexico to control the Coffee Berry Borer. The Borer has been spreading steadily through all the coffee-growing regions of the world and it is now a severe problem..