Mission Mode Action Programme on Coffee White Stem Borer - An Appraisal

摘要

The Coffee White Stem Borer, Xylotrechus quadripes (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) continues to be the biggest constraint for the sustainable cultivation of Arabica coffee. The affected plants show externally visible ridges around the stem. They may also exhibit signs like wilting and yellowing. Infested plants, up to 7-8 years age, die in a year while older plants withstand the attack for a few seasons. However, such plants are less productive, yielding more floats. The damage caused by the stem borer iscapital in nature, destroying the yielding plant leading to direct crop loss and investment required to develop new plants. The influence of stem borer damage is so pronounced that it can have a telling effect on the production and productivity of Arabica coffee.