Contribution of different agronomic practices and the fungus Beauveria bassiana on the coffee berry borer

Abstract

The research was carried out to study the effect of varying certain ecological conditions in the coffee through the implementation of different agronomic practices such as regulation of the shade, ground cover and rehabilitation of plantations on the populations of the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), it was also evaluated the influence of these conditions in the introduction and transfer of new variants of application of the fungus Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin. The results showed that the pest damage was lower under a system of sustainable coffee, designed after the restoration of the population density of coffee, conducting systematic pruning and plant health, sanitation of the forest, shade management to double stratum with scattered light intensity of 60-70% and a combination of systems of denominated handling of weeds (Strip weeding - Ring weeding), it was found that under these conditions the technical effectiveness of the fungus B. bassiana was higher compared with applications made in the trees less enlightened, being more advantageous to spray the foliage four times with a frequency of 40 days from 60 days to peak flowering with positive economic indicators even when used as single biological control strategy against the coffee berry borer.