Potential entomopathogenic nematodes as biological control agent of coffee berry borer, Hyphothenemus hampei Ferrari (Coleoptera:Curculionidae:Scolytinae)
2024
Evasco, N.H.G.
There is growing need to develop supplementary strategies to control one of the major insect pests of coffee, Hypothenemus hampei. One such strategy that remains poorly explored is the issue of entomaphatogenic nematodes. Three isolates of Heterorhabditis indica (HiMAP. HiPBCB, and HiBSDS), and two isolates of Steinernema abbasi (SaMBLB, and SaBSU 16) were evaluated against adult female H. hampei. Of the two EPN species, H. indica isolates were more virulent, causing mortality of 49% to 73% than S. abbasi isolates with only 8% to 14% mortality; thus, only the H. indica isolates were further studied. HiMAP (73%) and HiPBCB has the lowest LC sub 50 (21.94 IJ/adult) but is comparable with HiMAP and HiBSDS. The LT sub 50 estimates showed that HiMAP has significantly shorter LT sub 50 (32.50H) than the two H. indica isolates. Additionally, no mortality was observed in the beneficial insects associated with coffee, Apis mellifera and Chlilocorus circumdatus, when subjected to soil bioassay. It is, therefore, concluded that H. indica MAP is a good biological control agent candidate of H. hampei, and is recommended for field evaluation. However, the coffee growers of Caliking, Atok, Benguet (n=32) are not aware of nor using EPN in their farms. An information drive and a feasibility study comparing the cost of control by the EPN and current return of investment are recommended to entice the adoption of the technology by the coffee growers.
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