Determination of the establishment of parasitoids of the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) in coffee plantations of Soconusco, Chiapas, Mexico

The present study was conducted in coffee plantations of Chiapas to evaluate the establishment of three African parasitoids of the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (CBB), that have been released in this region for biological control purposes. During the inter cropping period were sampled fruits infested with the CBB from 31 coffee plantations in four municipalities. The infested fruits were dissected in order to detect the presence of any of the three species of CBB parasitoids: Cephalonomia stephanoderis, Prorops nasuta and Phymastichus cofea. We were also looking for parasitism by the native parasitoid Cephalonomia hyalinipennis. For analysis, we considered several variables, such as parasitoid earlier releases, species of coffee planted, altitude of sites, the prior existence of rural young, presence of rivers and conditions of coffee (careful or careless). Tis data was analysed in a Generalized Lineal Model. The results showed that C. stephanoderis was found in 67,7% of samples, and the percent of parasitism ranged from 0,33 to 26%. C. hyalinipennis was only detected in a single sample and its parasitism was 3%. P nasuta and P. cofea were not found in the samples. The presence of C. stephanoderis was correlated with altitude, the species of coffee and the number of previous releases, among others. In this study we confrm the establishment of C. stephanoderis, 20 years after its first release in coffee plantations of Chiapas, Mexico.