Coffee trees are planted! Coffee Tree Killer: the chaos of Diseases and insect pests (pests)

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Diseases and insect pests can destroy the growth of coffee, and a serious epidemic may cause heavy economic losses to farmers, but do you know what pests and diseases are the biggest threat to coffee? How to identify these pests and diseases?

What causes coffee disease or attracts pests?

Coffee, like all crops, can be infected by insects or diseases, according to a report by the French Agricultural Research Centre CIRAD: "most coffee diseases are infected by fungi, only a few are infected by bacteria or viruses.

Root rot, leaf rust and coffee berry disease can all attack coffee trees without any physiological defects. Other diseases can infect coffee trees because of their specific physiological defects. "

Coffee gene

Some varieties of coffee trees have low disease resistance, such as pointed bourbon, which is very susceptible to leaf rust.

Environmental factors

Coffee is grown in many countries, and there are diseases and insect pests in different regions. But specific diseases and insect pests can vary from region to region. For example, coffee beetles are more likely to breed in humid environments.

When Arabica is grown at lower elevations, warmer and humid climates increase the risk of breeding coffee beetles. However, even in the dry season, bark beetles hide in the fruit until it begins to rain, and once it starts to rain, hidden beetles will emerge and cause a lot of damage.

Some diseases are almost global, and fungi such as coffee leaf rust have become the biggest threat to global coffee cultivation, with outbreaks occurring in almost every coffee-producing country, regardless of environmental factors.

Crop management

Complete agricultural knowledge can play an important role in pest control. Farmers can choose to plant varieties with high yield and high disease resistance. If crop management is not good, it will lead to great loss of yield and income.

For example, damaged coffee trees may be more vulnerable to fungal infections, while improper fertilization can make coffee trees more vulnerable. Even fallen leaves on the ground may have an impact, which may increase the breeding of molds and pests.

The economic situation of producers

If producers do not have enough money to invest in agricultural equipment, coffee trees may be more likely to suffer from diseases and insect pests, which are interlinked. If farmers cannot afford fertilizers, disease-resistant new varieties or pesticides, it may make coffee trees more vulnerable to diseases and pests and reduce yields. Low yields lead to lower incomes, and farmers may still not have enough resources to invest in equipment every other year, creating a vicious circle.

What diseases and insect pests need to be paid special attention to?

Although there are hundreds of diseases and insect pests that affect coffee trees, some diseases and insect pests have a wide range of effects. The above-mentioned French agricultural research report points out that more than 900 species of insects and several other insect pests affect the growth of coffee trees (including molluscs such as parasites, snails, birds, mammals, etc.).

However, the report also points out that most diseases and insect pests are only concentrated in specific areas and continents, and only a small number of pests can grow in the tropics. The spread of most pests is often accidentally taken out of the country during the transportation of coffee beans. Let's take a closer look at some coffee diseases and insect pests.

Common coffee pests

Insects usually destroy coffee bean disease and reduce its density, and coffee bitten by insects is more likely to be infected by fungi or other microbes. The infected coffee trees will not only reduce the yield, but also affect the flavor and aroma of the coffee.

Here are some pests that are often found in coffee fields:

Coffee beetle

These small black bugs appear in almost all producing countries, and they can cause damage by digging holes in the fruit, while pesticides are difficult to ward off insects because the beetles hide in the fruit.

Coffee beetles spread all over the world because of coffee trees in Africa in the 16th century. Colombian studies have pointed out that coffee beetles have caused great damage in the history of coffee cultivation.

Coffee trees infested by bark beetles reduce yield because the fruit may fall when it is not ripe, resulting in less fruit that can be harvested.

The coffee beetle can also damage the quality of the fruit produced by the coffee tree, which in turn affects its commercial value, and if severely damaged by the insect, can make the coffee bitter, tarry or negative fermented. Coffee damaged by bark beetles may lead to uneven roasting and another negative impact on flavor.

Coffee leaf miner

There are two main types of coffee leaf miners:

South American leafminer Leucoptera coffeella, African leafminer Leucoptera caffeina.

Leaf miners can affect the leaves of coffee trees. Colombian coffee studies have pointed out that the larvae of leaf miners eat the leaves of coffee trees, and if a leaf has several leafminers at the same time, it may cause up to 90% of the structure to die. Necrosis comes from the death of cells, with dark water spots or brown spots.

Defoliation will also affect plant photosynthesis, without photosynthesis, plants can not grow normally, resulting in the fruit can not mature and reduce the overall yield. If you brew these unripe beans or dead beans, it will cause the coffee to be bitter and astringent.

Scale insect

Scale insects are insects that feed on a variety of trees and plants. They attack many parts of coffee trees, including branches, nodes, leaves, roots and flowers.

They feed on the sap of coffee trees and secrete a sticky substance that attracts ants, which forms black mold that covers the leaves, causing a reduction in photosynthesis.

The absorption of coffee sap and the reduction of photosynthesis will make coffee trees produce lighter and unripe coffee beans, resulting in astringent, metallic or bitter taste of coffee.

Coffee scale insects are found in Africa, Australia, Asia, Central and South America.

Nematode

Nematodes are small parasites that look like worms. Several kinds of nematodes destroy the roots to absorb sap. Nematodes clump at the roots, making it impossible for plants to absorb water and nutrients properly.

Coffee trees infected with nematodes can lead to reduced roots and defoliation leading to malnutrition, which can lead to low yield and poor quality coffee beans.