Cultural Management

  • Proper adoption of cultural practices and phytosanitary measures are important for management of coffee berry borer.
  • Transportation of infested coffee berries to uninfested areas is the main reason for spread.
  • Storage bags should be fumigated before delivery to estates to avoid cross infestation.
  • Timely harvest
  • Maintain 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 (for Arabica 10% and for Roubsta 11%)
  • Instal attractant trap to collect and kill the beetles
  • Instal multiple funnel trap and pitfall trap to collect and kill the adults
  • Field release of bioagents viz., Cephalonomia stephendarix and Phymastichus coffea for effective control these pests.
  • Field application of Beauveria bassiana white muscardine fungus. Mix 500 ml of groundnut oil with 500 ml of any agricultural wetting agent thoroughly. Add this suspension to 20 lit of water and three bags of Beauveria culture (200 g. each). The above solution is mixed well and strain through a muslin cloth. Apply spore suspension on the infested coffee bushes using a knapsack sprayer, targeting the berries. After 5 days of application, spores germinate and kill the insect.