Altitude and coffee production systems influence extent of infestation and bean damage by the coffee berry borer

The coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), is one of the major insect pests of coffee worldwide. The present study was designed to assess the level of infestation of coffee berries at different developmental stages across different altitudes and coffee management systems. The experiment was carried out at three locations in southwestern Ethiopia under two coffee management systems and four coffee berry development stages with three replications. Results of the study showed significantly highest proportion of damaged berries (37.5%), number of holes per berry (10.88) and number of adult CBB per berry (7.55) on dried leftover berries at low-altitude study sites. On the other hand, the lowest mean percent damaged berries, number of holes per berry and number of adults were recorded at mid- and high-altitude study sites. The study also showed that, CBB caused significantly highest damage in plantation coffee management system than garden coffee. Results of this study highlight proper harvesting at red ripe stage in order to minimise incidence of CBB. It is also important to design integrated management strategies to mitigate CBB damage especially in lowland plantation coffee production systems.     

A Keystone Ant Species Provides Robust Biological Control of the Coffee Berry Borer Under Varying Pest Densities

Species’ functional traits are an important part of the ecological complexity that determines the provisioning of ecosystem services. In biological pest control, predator response to pest density variation is a dynamic trait that impacts the provision of this service in agroecosystems. When pest populations fluctuate, farmers relying on biocontrol services need to know how natural enemies respond to these changes. Here we test the effect of variation in coffee berry borer (CBB) density on the biocontrol efficiency of a keystone ant species (Azteca sericeasur) in a coffee agroecosystem. We performed exclosure experiments to measure the infestation rate of CBB released on coffee branches in the presence and absence of ants at four different CBB density levels. We measured infestation rate as the number of CBB bored into fruits after 24 hours, quantified biocontrol efficiency (BCE) as the proportion of infesting CBB removed by ants, and estimated functional response from ant attack rates, measured as the difference in CBB infestation between branches. Infestation rates of CBB on branches with ants were significantly lower (71%-82%) than on those without ants across all density levels. Additionally, biocontrol efficiency was generally high and did not significantly vary across pest density treatments. Furthermore, ant attack rates increased linearly with increasing CBB density, suggesting a Type I functional response. These results demonstrate that ants can provide robust biological control of CBB, despite variation in pest density, and that the response of predators to pest density variation is an important factor in the provision of biocontrol services. Considering how natural enemies respond to changes in pest densities will allow for more accurate biocontrol predictions and better-informed management of this ecosystem service in agroecosystems.     

Twig-Nesting Ants: The Hidden Predators of the Coffee Berry Borer in Chiapas,Mexico

Coffee is a globally important crop that is subject to numerous pest problems, many of which are partially controlled by predatory ants. Yet several studies have proposed that these ecosystem services may be reduced where agricultural systems are more intensively managed. Here we investigate the predatory ability of twig-nesting ants on the main pest of coffee, the coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei) under different management systems in southwest Chiapas, Mexico. We conducted both laboratory and field experiments to examine which twig-nesting ant species, if any, can prey on free-living borers or can remove borers embedded in coffee fruits and whether the effects of the twig-nesting ant community differ with habitat type. Results indicate that several species of twig-nesting ants are effective predators of both free-living borers and those embedded in coffee fruits. In the lab, Pseudomyrmex ejectus, Pseudomyrmex simplex, and Pseudomyrmex PSW-53 effectively removed free-living and embedded borers. In the field, abundance, but not diversity, of twig-nesting ant colonies was influenced by shade management techniques, with the highest colony abundance present in the sites where shade trees were recently pruned. However, borer removal rates in the field were significant only in the shadiest site, but not in more intensively managed sites. This study provides evidence that twig-nesting ants can act as predators of the coffee berry borer and that the presence of twig-nesting ants may not be strongly linked to shade management intensity, as has been suggested for other arthropod predators of the borer.     

Ants defend coffee from berry borer colonization

Ants frequently prevent herbivores from damaging plants. In agroecosystems they may provide pest control services, although their contributions are not always appreciated. Here we compared the ability of eight ant species to prevent the coffee berry borer from colonizing coffee berries with a field exclusion experiment. We removed ants from one branch (exclusion) and left ants to forage on a second branch (control) before releasing 20 berry borers on each branch. After 24 h, six of eight species had significantly reduced the number of berries bored by the berry borer compared to exclusion treatment branches. While the number of berries per branch was a significant covariate explaining the number of berries bored, ant activity (that varied greatly among species) was not a significant factor in models. This study is the first field experiment to provide evidence that a diverse group of ant species limit the berry borer from colonizing coffee berries.     

Testing what we know about coffee volatiles affecting behaviour of Hypothenemus hampei

Coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Scolytinae), is a major pest of coffee worldwide. CBB females use berry volatiles while searching for hosts. Coffee volatiles can be used for monitoring CBB populations. The main objective of this study was to test under laboratory and field conditions bioactive compounds for H. hampei. In the laboratory, CBB females were attracted to the methanol-ethanol blend (MEB), but not to methylcyclohexane, ethylbenzene, nonane, methyl salicylate, verbenone, α-pinene, farnesene, and frontalin compared to clean air. In contrast, CBB females preferred clean air over linalool. Females were attracted to most of the tested compounds combined with the MEB over clean air, except farnesene, α-pinene, and linalool. Females preferred clean air to α-pinene or linalool, and they showed no preference for clean air or farnesene. Females also preferred the MEB over linalool, verbenone, α-pinene, or farnesene when combined with MEB. The combination of tested compounds and the MEB did not increase the capture of CBB in the field. Interestingly, α-pinene and linalool alone, or combined, inhibited the capture of CBB females and non-target insects by trapping bait with the MEB. Thus, α-pinene or linalool can be used in a push-pull strategy considering the low impact over non-target insects.     

Spiroacetals in the Colonization Behaviour of the Coffee Berry Borer: A ‘Push-Pull’ System

Coffee berries are known to release several volatile organic compounds, among which is the spiroacetal, conophthorin, an attractant for the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei. Elucidating the effects of other spiroacetals released by coffee berries is critical to understanding their chemo-ecological roles in the host discrimination and colonization process of the coffee berry borer, and also for their potential use in the management of this pest. Here, we show that the coffee berry spiroacetals frontalin and 1,6-dioxaspiro [4.5] decane (referred thereafter as brocain), are also used as semiochemicals by the coffee berry borer for host colonization. Bioassays and chemical analyses showed that crowding coffee berry borers from 2 to 6 females per berry, reduced borer fecundity, which appeared to correlate with a decrease in the emission rates of conophthorin and frontalin over time. In contrast, the level of brocain did not vary significantly between borer- uninfested and infested berries. Brocain was attractive at lower doses, but repellent at higher doses while frontalin alone or in a blend was critical for avoidance. Field assays with a commercial attractant comprising a mixture of ethanol and methanol (1∶1), combined with frontalin, confirmed the repellent effect of this compound by disrupting capture rates of H. hampei females by 77% in a coffee plantation. Overall, our results suggest that the levels of frontalin and conophthorin released by coffee berries determine the host colonization behaviour of H. hampei, possibly through a ‘push-pull’ system, whereby frontalin acts as the ‘push’ (repellent) and conophthorin acting as the ‘pull’ (attractant). Furthermore, our results reveal the potential use of frontalin as a repellent for management of this coffee pest.     

Efficacy of Beauveria bassiana applications on coffee berry borer across an elevation gradient in Hawaii

ABSTRACT

The effect of three rates of a commercial formulation of Beauveria bassiana Strain GHA was evaluated against the coffee berry borer (CBB) Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), at three commercial coffee farms located at different altitudes on the island of Hawaii. H. hampei infestation and natural prevalence of B. bassiana increased with the elevation. At 145 metres above sea level (Farm 1), beetle infestation was 3.9%; at 538?m (Farm 2), beetle infestation was 12.2%; and at 768?m (Farm 3) infestation was 22.3%. The prevalence of natural B. bassiana killing CBB was 5.5% on Farm 1, 3.3% on Farm 2 and 23.1% on Farm 3. Monthly applications of B. bassiana resulted in no significant differences in levels of CBB infestation among treatments. Similarly, rates of infested berries with visually detectable signs of B. bassiana were similar among the B. bassiana treatments, ranging from 0.44% to 4.24%, and those percentages were larger than the treatments without B. bassiana. The percentage of females killed by Beauveria ranged from 69% to 95%. Effect of dose of BotaniGard^® ES was reduced when beetles were in C position compared to A and B positions. B. bassiana can be an important component of an integrated pest management program for CBB.     

Cascading indirect effects in a coffee agroecosystem: effects of parasitic phorid flies on ants and the coffee berry borer in a high-shade and low-shade habitat

Nonconsumptive effects (NCE) of parasites on hosts vary with habitat complexity thereby modifying trait-mediated effects on lower trophic levels. In coffee agroecosystems, Pseudacteon sp. phorid fly parasites negatively affect Azteca instabilis F. Smith ants via NCE thereby indirectly benefiting prey. It is unknown how differences in habitat complexity influence Azteca-phorid interactions or how phorids affect the coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari), an important pest of coffee (Coffea arabica L). We tested the following hypotheses in field and lab experiments to find the impact of NCE of phorids on A. instabilis and trait-mediated indirect effects of phorids on the coffee berry borer: (1) Phorid effects on A. instabilis differ between complex and simple shade habitats and (2) Phorids, by modifying A. instabilis behavior, indirectly affect coffee berry borer abilities to invade coffee berries. Phorids had greater impacts on A. instabilis activity in low-shade farms, but differences in phorid impacts were not mediated by phorid density or light availability. In the lab, phorids had strong cascading effects on abilities of A. instabilis to deter coffee berry borers. Without phorids, A. instabilis limited coffee berry borer attacks, whereas when the coffee berry borer was alone or with A. instabilis and phorids, more coffee fruits were attacked by coffee berry borer. These results indicate that A. instabilis has stronger biological control potential in high-shade farms, but the exact mechanism deserves further attention.     

Manipulating tropical fire ants to reduce the coffee berry borer

1. The coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera, Curculionidae) (Ferrari) is the most important pest of coffee production worldwide. 2. The hypothesis that the tropical fire ant, Solenopsis geminata Westwood, indirectly protects the coffee berry borer by suppressing other ant species that are the coffee berry borer's primary predators was tested. 3. It was found that removing S. geminata from coffee plots significantly increased the disappearance of adult coffee berry borer beetles from coffee berries compared with control plots. An average of 6% of beetles disappeared from plots with S. geminata whereas 23% of beetles disappeared from plots from which S. geminata was removed. This pattern was observed on two shade coffee farms with marked differences in ant species composition, one in the rainforest in central Costa Rica and one in the cloudforest in northwest Costa Rica. 4. If the results of this small‐scale study can be replicated on the farm level, then S. geminata suppression may represent a new management technique for the coffee berry borer throughout Central and South America.     

Efficacy of plant essential oils against two major insect pests of coffee (Coffee berry borer,Hypothenemus hampei,and antestia bug,Antestiopsis intricata) and maize weevil,Sitophilus zeamais

Coffee berry borer, antestia bug and maize weevil are serious pest of coffee and maize, respectively. Bioassays of plant essential oils were conducted with coffee berry borer, antestia bug and the maize weevil. Essential oils of Thymus vulgaris, Aloysia sp., Ruta chalepensis, Chenopodium ambrosioides and Cymbopogon nardus resulted in 80%–90% mortality of coffee berry borer, whereas essential oils of C. ambrosioides, T. vulgaris and R. chalepensis achieved 87.5%–92.5% mortality of antestia bug. Essential oils of C. ambrosioides caused significantly the highest percentage mortality of the maize weevils (95%) with “Lethal Dose” (LD₅₀) values of 2.202 ml 100 ml^?1 within 24 h after treatment, whereas essential oils of Mentha spicata, T. vulgaris and R. chalepensis resulted in 82.5%, 77.5% and 73.5% mortality, respectively. The potential of plant essential oils for the management of coffee berry borer, antestia bug and maize weevil for the small-scale farmers is discussed.     

Forest bolsters bird abundance,pest control and coffee yield

Efforts to maximise crop yields are fuelling agricultural intensification, exacerbating the biodiversity crisis. Low‐intensity agricultural practices, however, may not sacrifice yields if they support biodiversity‐driven ecosystem services. We quantified the value native predators provide to farmers by consuming coffee's most damaging insect pest, the coffee berry borer beetle (Hypothenemus hampei). Our experiments in Costa Rica showed birds reduced infestation by ~ 50%, bats played a marginal role, and farmland forest cover increased pest removal. We identified borer‐consuming bird species by assaying faeces for borer DNA and found higher borer‐predator abundances on more forested plantations. Our coarse estimate is that forest patches doubled pest control over 230 km² by providing habitat for ~ 55 000 borer‐consuming birds. These pest‐control services prevented US$75–US$310 ha‐year⁻¹ in damage, a benefit per plantation on par with the average annual income of a Costa Rican citizen. Retaining forest and accounting for pest control demonstrates a win–win for biodiversity and coffee farmers.     

Sequences and transcriptional analysis of Coffea arabica var. Caturra and Coffea liberica plant responses to coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) attack

The coffee berry borer (CBB) is the most prevalent pest of coffee plantations. Within the Coffea genus, C. arabica is susceptible to CBB and C. liberica shows a lower susceptibility. Two EST libraries were constructed from the total RNA of C. arabica and C. liberica fruits artificially infested with CBBs for 24 h. Using 6000 clones sequenced per library, a unigene database was generated, obtaining 3634 singletons and 1454 contigs. For each contig, the proportion of sequences present in both species was determined and a differential gene expression between the species was detected. C. arabica displayed a higher relative expression of proteins involved in general stress responses, whereas C. liberica showed the induction of a higher number of insect defense proteins. In order to validate the results, quantifications through real-time PCR were done. A hevein-like protein, an isoprene synthase, a salicylic acid carboxyl methyltransferase and a patatin-like protein gene were highly upregulated in C. liberica at 24 and/or 48 h after insect infestation compared to C. arabica. The identification of metabolic pathways induced by this pest insect provides tools to take advantage of the genetic resources available for the control of CBB.     

The biology of Phymastichus coffea LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) under field conditions

The coffee berry borer (CBB) Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) was accidentally introduced into México in 1978, and rapidly became the main pest of coffee. As an exotic pest, its management has been mainly based on biological control methods through the introduction of parasitoids from Africa. In this context, at the beginning of the present decade, the parasitoid Phymastichus coffea LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) was imported to Mexico. Since then, several studies have been carried out as part of the post introduction evaluation of this parasitoid. In this paper, information concerning the parasitism and life-cycle of P. coffea in coffee farms is presented with the objective of providing information that elucidates its role as a biological control agent. P. coffea showed highly significant preferences for allocation of two eggs per host, usually one female and one male. Both offspring are able to develop and reach the adult stage successfully. Lifespan of adults is 2–3 days only. The degree of parasitism by P. coffea was more than 95% at the three altitudes tested, when releases consisted of a ratio of 10 CBB:1 parasitoid. The median survivorship of CBB parasitized by this wasp was 13, 15 and 19 days at the low, medium and high altitude coffee zones, respectively. The parasitism by P. coffea was higher when parasitoid releases were carried out simultaneously with the CBB, and decreased with the time between host and parasitoid releases. We showed that using P. coffea at a density of 1 parasitoid per 10 hosts resulted in a 3- to 5.6-fold decrease in CBB damage to the coffee seeds when compared to the control. The importance and value of these results are discussed in terms of the use of P. coffea as a biological control agent of the CBB in Latin America.     

Optimization of coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari (Col., Scolytidae), mass trapping with an attractant mixture

Mass trapping is a technique currently being considered to control the coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari (Col., Scolytidae), as part of the integrated management of its populations. However, the research undertaken in this field has variable and sometimes contradictory results. The purpose of this study carried out with a single type of trap (experimental model '1B') was to evaluate the technique and define parameters for its efficient use. The first result obtained was detection of the excellent attractant properties of the ethanol–methanol mixture, and its efficiency related to the proportion of the two alcohols. Coffee borers were not attracted to traps with caffeine, green coffee powder, freshly pulped and hulled coffee berries and ground CBB. It was shown that the ethanol–methanol mixture (1 : 1) release rate varied without affecting the capture rate, and that the red colour of the trap substantially increased CBB attraction. In terms of trap set-up, it was found that capture rates were three times better with a trap height at 1.2 m, than that for a position near ground level. In addition, the best density of traps for achieving efficient mass trapping was 22 units per hectare. These results show the importance of developing an attractant using pure compounds, and of improving the trap and the trapping technique in line with CBB behaviour.     

Beauveria bassiana -A Potential Mycopesticide for the Efficient Control of Coffee Berry Borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) in India

The Coffee Berry Borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) has been a serious insect pest of coffee cultivars C. robusta and C. catimor in India since 1991, causing 40-80% coffee bean loss. To combat this important pest, an indigenous entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin was isolated from dead and moribund coffee berry borers from the wild. The fungus was cultured on yeast extractpeptone supplemented liquid medium. The mycelial mat was harvested from 12-day old cultures and lyophilized. A suspension of the most virulent isolate (Bb2) was prepared in sterile water and used as a mycopesticide. The laboratory studies were conducted on coffee berry borers by applying conidial suspensions at a dosage rate of 1 ×10 6 conidia ml -1 . Pest mortality with the Bb2 isolate increased from 69.3% to 95.3% with an increase in relative humidity (RH) at 25 ±2°C. Field experiments were conducted in a coffee plantation area in the Kodagu district of Karnataka, and the results showed that, under favourable environmental conditions (27- 29°C; 82-91% RH; 10-15 inches rainfall per year), the fungus required only eight days to colonize and kill the target pest. A maximum of 75.6% insect mortality was recorded 24 days after spraying. Large-scale field trials conducted in five plantation plots between September 1995 and September 1998 showed significant insect mortality both in C. robusta and C. catimor cultivars of coffee. The potential use of this indigenous fungal strain of B. bassiana as a mycopesticide for management of CBB in India is discussed.     

Simplification of a coffee foliage-dwelling beetle community under low-shade management

Coffee agroforests may be structurally and floristically complex and may contain a significant fraction of species from biodiverse and threatened tropical montane forest biotas; hence, understanding the dynamics of tropical forest biodiversity in coffee agroecosystems has emerged as a centrally important area of tropical conservation biology research. We conducted a morphospecies analysis on foliage-dwelling beetles collected from coffee plants on four coffee farms in southern Chiapas, Mexico, to characterize variation in the abundance, species richness, and species composition of this mega-diverse taxon in relation to coffee cultivation system, spatio-temporal variation, and predator removal. We constructed thirty-two cages to exclude birds and bats on four farms, each enclosing 7–10 coffee plants and paired with an adjacent uncaged control plot, and then collected beetles from coffee foliage with D-Vac aspirators in each plot once every 3 months for one year.We classified the 2662 beetles collected into 293 morphospecies, representing 42 families of beetles. Extrapolation and interpolation analyses revealed a very high level of species richness, with no plateau and only a slight leveling trend observed in our species accumulation curves. We found that low-shade systems contain equal or higher beetle abundance, lower species richness, more highly homogenized species composition, and higher abundance of coffee berry borer pests on coffee foliage than do high-shade systems. We observed no effect of flying vertebrate exclusion on the coffee foliage beetle assemblage, but did find significant variation in abundance, species richness, and species composition of coffee foliage beetles across seasons and study sites.The increased beetle biodiversity of high-shade coffee cultivation systems has important implications both for the preservation of native biodiversity in coffee growing regions and for the control of agricultural pests such as the coffee berry borer.     

Development of an improved laboratory production technique for the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei, using fresh coffee berries

The suitability of a mixture of plaster of Paris and charcoal as a means to regulate the moisture content of coffee berries and the relative humidity (moisture conditions) of the rearing environment and its impact on rearing the coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), was evaluated under laboratory conditions using two types of coffee. Coffee berries were kept individually in vials with a 1-cm layer of the mixture, and the fresh weight of the berries was assessed, as well as the penetration of CBB into the berries, its survival, and its progeny production over a period of 55 days. Significantly higher survival and progeny production was achieved when using the mixture regardless of the coffee type. Compared to the vials without plaster of Paris/charcoal, a six- to sevenfold increase in survivorship of the F1 was recorded when using plaster of Paris/charcoal and in the latter treatment berries harboured on average more than 100 individuals, whereas only 1.7 in the vials without plaster of Paris.     

Evaluation of potential entomopathogenic fungus,Beauveria bassiana,for controlling the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in Taiwan

Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), a coffee berry borer (CBB), is a serious pest of coffee fruits and causes economic losses in the coffee industry. With the concerns of chemical control, an alternative eco-friendly management strategy such as microbial control has emerged as the times require. Herein, a total of thirty-three fungi were isolated from CBB cadavers. Two entomopathogenic fungal isolates, NCHU-271 and NCHU-272, which showed fast insect-killing activity, were subjected to molecular identification and named “Beauveria bassiana-NCHU-271” (Bb-NCHU-271) and “Beauveria bassiana -NCHU-272” (Bb-NCHU-272). Moreover, a virulence test of Bb-NCHU-271 and Bb-NCHU-272 against CBBs was also performed. Both Bb-NCHU-271 and Bb-NCHU-272 caused 100% mortality at 8 days post inoculation (d.p.i.) and a LT₅₀ of Bb-NCHU-271 by spraying 10⁸ conidia/ml was less than Bb-NCHU-272. Therefore, histological evidence of Bb-NCHU-271 infected CBBs was provided to proven the infection process of B. bassiana in CBBs. Furthermore, an infestation test was performed to evaluate the differences in CBB control efficacy between the treatments of “Borers exposed to EPF first” or “Berries exposed to EPF first”. The results revealed that the “Borers exposed to EPF first” of Bb-NCHU-272 caused significantly lower survival rates and higher mycosis rates than those of Bb-NCHU-271. Only slight control effects of Bb-NCHU-271 and Bb-NCHU-272 were also observed in the “Berries exposed to EPF” treatment. In conclusion, Bb-NCHU-271 and −272 showed controlling ability to the CBBs either before or after CBB infestation into coffee berries, while application of EPFs before the CBBs bored into coffee fruits could enhance the control effect.     

Evaluation of Beauveria bassiana (Ascomycota: Hypocreales) as a control of the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) emerging from fallen,infested coffee berries on the ground

The effects of Beauveria bassiana strains on coffee berry borers (CBB), which emerge from infested berries left on soil, and its impact on the infestation of coffee berries on tree branches were evaluated at two Experimental Stations (Naranjal-Caldas and Paraguaicito-Quindio) in the Colombian coffee zone. Using a completely randomized design with 10 repetitions, 50 coffee berries artificially infested with CBB were placed on the base of a coffee tree. Four treatments including B. bassiana strain Bb9205, a mixture of Cenicafé strains (Bb9001, Bb9024 and Bb9119), a commercial formulation of B. bassiana and a control (water) were sprayed with 1×10⁹ conidia per tree. After 30 days, all fungal strains lowered the infestation levels of the coffee berries on the trees at both locations. The mixture of Cenicafé strains decreased the tree infestation between 50 and 30% at both locations. In the berries dissected from each treated tree, insect mortality was about 40% at both locations compared to 15% in the control. B. bassiana strains also decreased the insect population inside the newly infested berries on the trees by 55–75%. The mixture of Cenicafé strains was the most effective for decreasing insect populations. B. bassiana significantly decreased CBB populations that emerged from fallen, infested, coffee berries and reduced future insect generations.     

Agroforestry management affects coffee pests contingent on season and developmental stage

1 Management of vegetational diversity in agroecosystems is a potentially regulating factor of pest population dynamics and may affect developmental stages in different ways.
2 We investigated the population dynamics of red spider mites, coffee leaf miners, and coffee berry borers in three management types of coffee agroforests: increasing plant diversity from a few shade tree species (simple-shade agroforests), intermediate-shade tree species (complex-shade agroforests) to high-shade tree species (abandoned coffee agroforests) in Ecuador. Furthermore, we studied how changes in agroforestry management affect population stage structure of each coffee pest.
3 Our results show that agroforestry management affected seasonal patterns of coffee pests in that higher densities of red spider mites were observed from August to December, coffee leaf miners from December to February, and coffee berry borers from May to July. Moreover, specific developmental stages of red spider mites, coffee leaf miners, and coffee berry borers differed in their responses to agroforestry management. During all stages, red spider mite reached higher densities in simple-shade agroforests compared with complex-shade and abandoned agroforests. Meanwhile, coffee leaf miner densities decreased from simple-shade to complex-shade and abandoned agroforests, but only for larvae, not pupae. Similarly, only coffee berry borer adults (but not eggs, larvae and pupae) demonstrated a response to agroforestry management. Environmental variables characterizing each agroforestry type proved to be important drivers of pest population densities in the field.
4 We emphasize the importance of considering seasonal differences and population structure while investigating arthropod responses to different habitat types because responses change with time and developmental stages.