Non-chemical methods for coffee berry borer control and the transfer of this technology in the highlands of Chiapas, Mexico

Products based on the entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) as a method of management to control the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari), in organic production systems in Los Altos de Chiapas, have been used without formal tests in the field. As a result, producers an the social organizations that promote the method have doubts about its efficiency. This study presents an evaluation of non-chemical management of the coffee berry borer, as well as the transfer of this technology, in 45 plots of coffee, Coffea arabica, established in producers' fields. The results show that picking and elimination of infested fruits, and biological control using the fungus, did not have the same efficiency in all plots. In the "high" (805.0 kg ha-1) and "medium" (402.5 kg ha-1) production plots the management methods did not reduce the coffee berry borer infestation, while in the "low" (172.5 kg ha-1) production plots, only the cultural control resulted in a reduction in the pest during the productive period (June - July). Picking and elimination of infested fruits appears to be a viable option for controlling the coffee berry borer when it is well conducted. In addition, this method is economically viable, especially when the production is oriented to organic coffee. The failure of B. bassiana, was due to low spore viability and product impurity. Training of farmers is necessary, with special attention to sampling and control techniques for the pest El uso de productos a base del hongo entomopatogeno Beauveria bassiana (Bals.) para el control biologico de la broca del cafeto, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) en sistemas de cafeticultura organica en los Altos de Chiapas, se ha estado utilizando sin evaluaciones formales en campo. En consecuencia, los productores y las mismas organizaciones que promueven este metodo tienen dudas sobre su efectividad. Se efectuo una investigacion en 45 parcelas de productores de cafe, Coffea arabica, para evaluar el manejo no quimico de la broca del cafe y su transferencia tecnologica. Los resultados mostraron que el control cultural (colecta y eliminacion de frutos infestados) y el control biologico por medio del hongo no tuvieron la misma eficiencia. En las parcelas de estrato productivo "alto" (805.0 kg ha-1) y "medio" (402.5 kg ha-1) ninguno de los metodos disminuyeron la infestacion de la broca, pero en el estrato productivo "bajo" (172.5 kg ha-1) solamente en las parcelas tratadas con el control cultural hubo una