Exciting news from our training farm Santa Rita Specialty Coffee. Among other things, we are experimenting with organic countermeasures against Broca. Our partner and agronomist on site, Roberto Castellano, recently explained the following method to us:
An effective measure against Broca is a product called Biomix, a combination of two different fungi that have the potential to parasitize Broca (Hypothenemus hampei). The two fungi are called Beauveria bassiana and Metarhizium. In application, every plant and every fruit is treated. The process of infecting the borer takes place in three phases.
1. Contact of the spores with the insect's outer skin and germination
2. Penetration of the insect's outer skin
3. Development of the fungus inside the insect, which ultimately leads to death.
Beauveria bassiana is used in various areas of organic agriculture as an organic insecticide. The fungus is excellent for controlling arthropods of all kinds. Beauveria bassiana is not toxic to farm workers and has little impact on non-target insects (1).
This method can also be successfully applied to fallen cherries on the ground. Remember: the coffee borer prefers ripe and overripe cherries.
