Luis F. Aristizábal

Evaluation of Isaria fumosorosea (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) for control of the Asian citrus psyllid, Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Psyllidae)

A laboratory bioassay was developed to evaluate strains of Isaria fumosorosea Wize, against Diaphorina citri. Up to 100% of adult psyllids were killed at concentrations between 106 and 107 blastospores/ml after 12 days, with derived LC50 values (at 7 days post treatment) between 1.4 × 105 and 2.0 × 106 blastospores/ml for strains ARSEF 3581, FE 9901 and Apopka-97. A significantly higher value (1.5 × 107) was obtained with a conidial formulation of Apopka-97. Average survival times were dosage dependent, i.e. between 10.2 days at 103 blastospores/ml and 3.5 days at 108 blastospores/ml. Rates of mycosis were also dosage dependent, with up to 100% sporulation on cadavers at 108 blastospores/ml but declining at lower concentrations. The Apopka-97 strain (commercially available as PFR-97) was tested against established D. citri infestations in potted citrus in greenhouse cages. Treatments at label rates reduced psyllid populations by approximately 50% over 3 weeks. The combination of PFR-97 with emulsifiable oils (0.25% v/v) did not increase psyllid mortality compared with either agent alone. Imidacloprid applied as a drench killed 100% of psyllids within 3 weeks. Subsequent greenhouse tests during humid conditions were hampered by natural dissemination of I. fumosorosea to untreated psyllids, suggesting that this fungus is spread by air movement and may be highly effective under very humid conditions. In later tests, a Cladosporium sp. rapidly colonised psyllid cadavers and leaf surfaces, but was not pathogenic in laboratory tests. Our studies confirm the potential of I. fumosorosea to be used in IPM strategies for D. citri that rely on other tactics, such as insecticidal oils and native or introduced biological control agents.

Compatibility of Isaria fumosorosea (Hypocreales: Cordycipitaceae) Blastospores with Agricultural Chemicals Used for Management of the Asian Citrus Psyllid, Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae)

Biorational insecticides are being increasingly emphasized for inclusion in integrated pest management programs for invasive insects. The entomopathogenic fungus, Isaria fumosorosea, can be used to help manage the Asian citrus psyllid with minimal impact on beneficial arthropods, but its effectiveness may be compromised by agrochemicals used to control concurrent arthropod pests and diseases. We evaluated the compatibility of I. fumosorosea blastospores with a range of spray oils and copper-based fungicides registered for use in citrus groves. Results of laboratory and greenhouse tests showed a range of responses of the fungus to the different materials, including compatibility and incompatibility. Overall, I. fumosorosea growth in vitro was reduced least by petroleum-based materials and most by botanical oils and borax, and some of the copper-based fungicides, suggesting that tank mixing of I. fumosorosea with these latter products should be avoided. However, equivalent negative effects of test materials on fungal pathogenicity were not always observed in tests with adult psyllids. We hypothesize that some oils enhanced adherence of blastospores to the insect cuticle, overcoming negative impacts on germination. Our data show that care should be taken in selecting appropriate agrochemicals for tank-mixing with commercial formulations of entomopathogenic fungi for management of citrus pests. The prospects of using I. fumosorosea for managing the invasive Asian citrus psyllid and other citrus pests are discussed.

Integrated Pest Management of Coffee Berry Borer: Strategies from Latin America that Could Be Useful for Coffee Farmers in Hawaii

The coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) is the primary arthropod pest of coffee plantations worldwide. Since its detection in Hawaii (September 2010), coffee growers are facing financial losses due to reduced quality of coffee yields. Several control strategies that include cultural practices, biological control agents (parasitoids), chemical and microbial insecticides (entomopathogenic fungi), and a range of post-harvest sanitation practices have been conducted to manage CBB around the world. In addition, sampling methods including the use of alcohol based traps for monitoring CBB populations have been implemented in some coffee producing countries in Latin America. It is currently unclear which combination of CBB control strategies is optimal under economical, environmental, and sociocultural conditions of Hawaii. This review discusses components of an integrated pest management program for CBB. We focus on practical approaches to provide guidance to coffee farmers in Hawaii. Experiences of integrated pest management (IPM) of CBB learned from Latin America over the past 25 years may be relevant for establishing strategies of control that may fit under Hawaiian coffee farmers’ conditions.

Implementing an Integrated Pest Management Program for Coffee Berry Borer in a Specialty Coffee Plantation in Colombia

Efforts to implement an integrated pest management (IPM) program for coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) in a 110-ha coffee plantation in the Huila region of Colombia are discussed. Hands-on training was provided for farm staff and harvest workers managing production in >80 coffee lots. Participants attended workshops describing pest management strategies, based on prior research and recommendations of the National Coffee Research Center in Colombia (Cenicafe). The training program focused on cultural practices, i.e., efficient harvesting of mature berries to eliminate coffee berry borer habitats, along with establishing a comprehensive monitoring program to reduce chemical insecticides and encouraging use of a biological-based insecticide. Participants implemented postharvest techniques by screening harvested berries and pulp pits to physically exclude adult coffee berry borers. The rationale was that adopting new practices would enable growers to transition away from chemical insecticides. Results over 3 yr showed widespread adoption of cultural, physical, and biological control methods. Overall, the IPM program was considered successful because problems associated with insect damage on the coffee crop decreased, despite reductions in endosulfan/chlorpyrifos use, which declined from 250 liters in 2002 to 75 liters in 2003, and 0 liters in 2004. Concurrently, Beauveria bassiana increased from 20 kg in 2002 to 80 kg in 2004. Harvest workers improved their efficiency at removing potential coffee berry borer breeding sites (leaving only 6.5 mature berries per tree in 2004, down from 22.2 in 2002). The quality of parchment coffee beans increased (insect damage was 2.3% in 2002, 1.7% in 2003, and 0.7% in 2004) whereas the proportion of the harvest sold as high quality ‘specialty’ coffee increased from 50% to 86% over the same period.

Evaluation of Entomopathogenic Fungi Against Chilli Thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis

Abstract Commercial strains of entomopathogenic fungi were evaluated for control of chilli thrips, Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood (Thysanoptera: Thripidae), an invasive pest of ornamental and vegetable plants in the Caribbean and southeastern United States. In laboratory assays, LC50 values against adult S. dorsalis were 5.1 × 104 CFU/mL for Beauveria bassiana GHA, with higher values 3.1 × 105 for Metarhizium brunneum F52 and 3.8 × 105 for Isaria fumosorosea Apopka 97. Second instars were comparatively less susceptible to all isolates, ostensibly due to moulting, with LC50 values of 1.1 × 108, 7.0 × 105, and 9.9 × 105 CFU/spores per mL for GHA, F52, and Apopka 97 strains, respectively. In greenhouse cages, compared with controls, three applications of mycoinsecticides and other biorational insecticides at 7 to 14 day intervals reduced overall S. dorsalis populations on pepper plants Capsicum annuum cv. California Wonder: spinosad reduced populations by 94–99%, M. brunneum F52 by 84–93%, B. bassiana GHA by 81–94%, I. fumosorosea PFR-97 by 62–66%, and different horticultural oils by 58–85%. The proportion of marketable fruit was significantly increased by M. brunneum F52, B. bassiana GHA, and 2% SuffOil-X treatments. Slightly lower levels of control were observed in nursery tests with ornamental rose shrubs, Rosa sp. Red Double Knock Out®, during hot sunny conditions. Four applications reduced thrips populations over 10 weeks: spinosad by an average of 91%, M. brunneum F52 by an average of 81%, B. bassiana GHA by an average of 62%, SuffOil-X by an average of 50%, and I. fumosorosea PFR-97 by an average of 44%. The data show that mycoinsecticides can be used in management strategies for low to moderate populations of S. dorsalis and provide resistance management tools for the limited number of insecticides that are effective against this pest.

Monitoring Cultural Practices for Coffee Berry Borer Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) Management in a Small Coffee Farm in Colombia

BioOne sees sustainable scholarly publishing as an inherently collaborative enterprise connecting authors, nonprofit publishers, academic institutions, research libraries, and research funders in the common goal of maximizing access to critical research. Monitoring Cultural Practices for Coffee Berry Borer Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) Management in a Small Coffee Farm in Colombia

Monitoring Coffee Berry Borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), Populations with Alcohol-Baited Funnel Traps in Coffee Farms in Colombia

Summary We monitored dispersing coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), with easily-manufactured, alcohol-baited funnel traps and quantified associated berry infestation on 8 coffee farms in 2 regions in Caldas, Colombia. Flight activity and damage to berries was highest in the 2–3 months after the main harvest (Jan through Mar) and was greater in large farms, where insecticides were used, compared with small farms where efficient and frequent cultural control was implemented. The use of traps and attractants will help farmers track CBB populations and localize efforts to control this pest.

Integrated Pest Management of Coffee Berry Borer in Hawaii and Puerto Rico: Current Status and Prospects

The coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei, is the most significant insect pest of coffee worldwide. Since CBB was detected in Puerto Rico in 2007 and Hawaii in 2010, coffee growers from these islands are facing increased costs, reduced coffee quality, and increased pest management challenges. Here, we outline the CBB situation, and summarize the findings of growers, researchers, and extension professionals working with CBB in Hawaii. Recommendations for the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program for CBB in Hawaiian Islands and Puerto Rico include: (1) establish a CBB monitoring program, (2) synchronize applications of insecticides with peak flight activity of CBB especially during the early coffee season, (3) conduct efficient strip-picking as soon as possible after harvest and perform pre-harvest sanitation picks in CBB hotspots if needed, (4) establish protocols to prevent the escape of CBB from processing areas and when transporting berries during harvest, and (5) stump prune by blocks. Progress achieved includes the introduction of the mycoinsecticide Beauveria bassiana to coffee plantations, the coordination of area-wide CBB surveys, the establishment and augmentation of native beetle predators, and an observed reduction of CBB populations and increased coffee quality where IPM programs were established. However, CBB remains a challenge for coffee growers due to regional variability in CBB pressures, high costs, and labor issues, including a lack of training and awareness of CBB management practices among growers.

Life History of Pink Hibiscus Mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) on Three Hibiscus Rosa-Sinensis Cultivars

ABSTRACT The pink hibiscus mealybug, Maconellicoccus hirsutus Green, is a widespread invasive pest of Hibiscus rosa-sinensis in Florida and elsewhere. We evaluated 3 cultivars of H. rosa-sinensis expected to have high (‘President’), low (‘Double Red’), and intermediate (‘Joanne’) levels of susceptibility to this pest. We found little evidence that M. hirsutus responded differently among the 3 cultivars in terms of survival, development rate, size, or oviposition period in laboratory tests at a permissive temperature. However, higher average fecundity (377 eggs per female) was observed on “President” compared with the other 2 cultivars (≈ 300 eggs/female). The Fl generation developed on all varieties, with similar cumulative survival rates of 71, 74, and 76% on “Double Red”, “Joanne” and “President” cultivars, respectively. In greenhouse tests over 9 wk, feeding symptoms of stunted and deformed plant terminals (“bunchy top”) were observed in all cultivars but increased more rapidly in “President”, especially after the 4th wk post infestation. Significantly higher mealybug populations were also observed on “President” compared with the other 2 cultivars, reaching an average of ≈ 50 and 1,400 insect per terminal after the first and second generations, 30 and 60 d post infestation, respectively, on this variety. Although none of the hibiscus varieties tested were resistant to M. hirsutus in our studies, selection (or breeding) of additional cultivars tolerant to feeding symptoms may be useful in low management input landscapes for M. hirsutus infested areas, especially in conjunction with biocontrol programs.

Introduction of Parasitoids of Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) on Small Coffee Plantations in Colombia Through Farmer Participatory Methods Development

BioOne sees sustainable scholarly publishing as an inherently collaborative enterprise connecting authors, nonprofit publishers, academic institutions, research libraries, and research funders in the common goal of maximizing access to critical research. Introduction of Parasitoids of Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) on Small Coffee Plantations in Colombia Through Farmer Participatory Methods Development