Coffee Best, No Pest

 

                                   MAJOR PEST OF COFFEE

 

                                  White stem borer: Xylotrechus quadripes

• Adult – is a dark brown longicorn beetle having several white markings on the elytra and thorax

• Adult emergence –April & May

• Egg laying- October & November

 • Eggs are laid in small groups in cracks on stem, under bark or under moss growing on the stem. They hatch in 9-15 days

• Grubs bore into the bark a tunnels in all directions within the stem feeding on the internal tissues for about 9 months

 • The full grown grub is stout with swollen head and is pale yellow

 • It pupates within its tunnel after making an exit hole for a period of about a month

• The life cycle is annual - eggs laid in October & November becoming adults during April-May of the following year

• Adults are active in bright weather.

• Heavy rains unfavorable for egg laying

 

Symptoms of attack and nature of damage

• Larvae enter into the hardwood and make the tunnels may extend even into the roots.

 • Tunnels - tightly filed with the excreta of the grubs.

 • Infested plants show visible ridges around the stem.

 • Yellowing and wilting of leaves.

 • Young plants (7 to 8 years old) attacked by the borer may die in a year

            Management

 • Maintain optimum shade on the estates.

• Trace the infested plants - flight periods (i.e, during March and September)

• Every year - looking for ridges on the main stem and thick primaries.

• Collars prune the infested plants, uproot and burn the affected parts.

 • Remove the loose scaly bark of the main stem and thick primaries using coir glove or coconut husk – kill the eggs

 • Scrubbing during flight periods- kills the eggs and grubs present in the bark region.

• Deep scrubbing should be avoided (sharp implement may injure the green wood and eventually kill the plant)

• Spraying the main stem and thick primaries with neem kernel extract may afford good control of the pest.

 • Field release of predators Apenesia sp for effective control of white stem borer

• Field application of white muscardine fungus Beauveria bassiana

 

 

 

 

              Coffee berry borer: Hypothenemus hampei

• Specific pest of coffee appeared in India 1920

• An exotic pest introduced in Tamil Nadu

 • In Kerala pest was first observed in Wayanad Symptoms of attack and nature of damage

 • Pin hole at the tip of the berries (navel region)

• Severe infestation - two or more holes may be seen.

• Female beetle bores into the berries through the navel region make tunneling and feed inside content

 • Powdery substance pushed out through the holes

 

Management

• Proper adoption of cultural practices and phytosanitary measures important for management of coffee berry borer.

• Transportation of infested coffee to uninfected areas is the main reason for spread.

• Crop bags should be fumigated before delivery to estates to avoid cross infestation.

• Timely harvest

 • cleaning - spreading gunny bags or polythene sheets on the ground after picking the berriesMaintain optimum shade and good drainage.

 • Dipping infested berries in boiling water for 2-3 minutes kills all the stages inside.

• Drying of coffee beans – prevents breeding of beetles in stored coffee based on moisture content level.

• Arabica (10% moisture content) - 16kg/lit

• Roubsta (11% moisture content) - 18kg/lit

 

Shot hole borer:  Xylosandrus compactus

 • Pest especially of robusta coffee

 • Adult- brown to black with a short, sub cylindrical body and covered with fine hairs.

• Females are darker and larger (1.5 to 1.8 mm) lays 20 50 eggs in galleries constructed within the branches

 • Males are dull and small

Symptoms of attack and nature of damage

• Infests green succulent branches (Secondary and tertiary branches).

• Young plants - main stem may be attacked.

• The beetle act as a vector of Fusarium sp

• Presence of shot hole and discoloration around the bore hole

 • Initial symptom - drooping of leaves

 • Withered (faster in young branches and delayed in older twigs) or dried branches

 • Attacked Leaves fall and prematurely

 • Terminal leaves wilt, droop and dry up. Die back symptom

• Severe infestation - loss of considerable number of productive branches

 

Management

 

• Insecticide applications do not provide for shot hole borer control.

• Grub entered into twig and make tunneling – Ambrosia fungus developed from the tunneling. Female lays eggs on the tunnelling

 • After egg hatching, the white milky larvae feed on the ambrosia fungus

 • Prune the affected twigs 2 to 3 inches beyond the shot-hole and burn (September)

• Remove and destroy all the unwanted/infested suckers during summer (avoid breeding).

• Maintain thin shade and good drainage