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Green (unroasted) coffee is one of the most traded agricultural commodities in the world. The Arabica (Coffea arabica L.) and Robusta (Coffea canephora Pierre ex A. Froehner) species are the two main types of coffees for commercial production. In general, Arabica coffee is known to have better quality in terms of sensory characteristics; thus, it has a higher market value than Robusta coffee. Accurate differentiation of green beans of the two species is, therefore, of commercial interest in the coffee industry. Using the newly developed single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, we analyzed a total of 80 single green bean samples, representing 20 Arabica cultivars and four Robusta accessions. Reliable SNP fingerprints were generated for all tested samples. Unambiguous differentiation between Robusta and Arabica coffees was achieved using multivariate analysis and assignment test. The SNP marker panel and the genotyping protocol are sufficiently robust to detect admixture of green coffee in a high-throughput fashion. Moreover, the multilocus SNP approach can differentiate every single bean within Robusta and 55% of Arabica samples. This advantage, together with the single-bean sensitivity, suggests a significant potential for practical application of this technology in the coffee industry.

The coffee berry borer, the most economically important insect pest of coffee worldwide, is the only insect capable of feeding and reproducing solely on the coffee seed, a food source containing the purine alkaloid caffeine. Twenty-one bacterial species associated with coffee berry borers from Hawai’i, Mexico, or a laboratory colony in Maryland (Acinetobacter sp. S40, S54, S55, Bacillus aryabhattai, Delftia lacustris, Erwinia sp. S38, S43, S63, Klebsiella oxytoca, Ochrobactrum sp. S45, S46, Pantoea sp. S61, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, P. parafulva, and Pseudomonas sp. S30, S31, S32, S37, S44, S60, S75) were found to have at least one of five caffeine N-demethylation genes (ndmA, ndmB, ndmC, ndmD, ndmE), with Pseudomonas spp. S31, S32, S37, S60 and P. parafulva having the full complement of these genes. Some of the bacteria carrying the ndm genes were detected in eggs, suggesting possible vertical transmission, while presence of caffeine-degrading bacteria in frass, e.g., P. parafulva (ndmABCDE) and Bacillus aryabhattai (ndmA) could result in horizontal transmission to all insect life stages. Thirty-five bacterial species associated with the insect (Acinetobacter sp. S40, S54, S55, B. aryabhattai, B. cereus group, Bacillus sp. S29, S70, S71, S72, S73, D. lacustris, Erwinia sp. S38, S43, S59, S63, K. oxytoca, Kosakonia cowanii, Ochrobactrum sp. S45, S46, Paenibacillus sp. S28, Pantoea sp. S61, S62, P. aeruginosa, P. parafulva, Pseudomonas sp. S30, S31, S32, S37, S44, S60, S75, Stenotrophomonas sp. S39, S41, S48, S49) might contribute to caffeine breakdown using the C-8 oxidation pathway, based on presence of genes required for this pathway. It is possible that caffeine-degrading bacteria associated with the coffee berry borer originated as epiphytes and endophytes in the coffee plant microbiota.

Coffee ( Coffea arabica and C. canephora) is one of the most widely traded agricultural commodities and the main cash crop in ∼80 tropical countries. Among the factors that limit coffee production, the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) has been considered the main insect pest, causing losses of over U.S. $500 million dollars annually. Control of this pest has been hindered by two main factors: the cryptic nature of the insect (i.e., protected inside the coffee berry) and the availability of coffee berries in the field allowing the survival of the pest from one generation to the next. Coffee berry borer control has primarily been based on the use of synthetic insecticides. Management strategies have focused on the use of African parasitoids ( Cephalonomia stephanoderis, Prorops nasuta, and Phymastichus coffea), fungal entomopathogens ( Beauveria bassiana), and insect traps. These approaches have had mixed results. Recent work on the basic biology of the insect has provided novel insights that might be useful in developing novel pest management strategies. For example, the discovery of symbiotic bacteria responsible for caffeine breakdown as part of the coffee berry borer microbiome opens new possibilities for pest management via the disruption of these bacteria. Some chemicals with repellent propieties have been identified, and these have a high potential for field implementation. Finally, the publication of the CBB genome has provided insights on the biology of the insect that will help us to understand why it has been so successful at exploiting the coffee plant. Here I discuss the tools we now have against the CBB and likely control strategies that may be useful in the near future.

Phymastichus coffea LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is an African parasitoid that has been imported to Mexico and other Latin American countries for the biological control of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae). As a part of the evaluation of this natural enemy in Mexico, we conducted a series of parasitoid inclusion cage experiments to evaluate parasitism rates under different parasitoid:borer ratios (1:5, 1:10, 1:15, 1:20 and 1:30) using entomological sleeves. The presence of P. coffea inside the sleeves did not affect avoid the perforation of coffee berries by the borers, but damages to berries were significantly diminished. Borers that did not enter coffee berries were more susceptible to be parasitized by P. coffea than borers that entered inside berries (i.e., borers that perforated the endosperm). The treatment resulting in the highest level of parasitism was the 1:5 parasitoid:borer ratio, which had 79% parasitism when borers where outside berries. In general, the highest percentage of parasitism occurred when the highest proportion of parasitoids was used. The 1:5 and 1:10 parasitoid:borer ratio resulted in the highest parasitism. The use of P. coffea resulted in a 2.2–3.1 fold lower coffee berry borer damage to the seeds weight, showing the beneficial effect of this natural enemy. The weight of coffee seeds significantly decreased in treatments where no parasitoids were used (control) and in treatments with the highest number of borers. All treatments that received parasitoids to control the coffee berry borer had a higher seed weight than the control. Our studies indicate that P. coffea has a strong potential to become an effective biological control agent against the coffee berry borer.

Coffee (Coffea arabica) plant tissues were surface-sterilized and fungal endophytes isolated using standard techniques, followed by DNA extraction and sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region (ITS). A total of 843 fungal isolates were recovered and sequenced (Colombia, 267; Hawai'i, 393; Mexico, 109; Puerto Rico, 74) yielding 257 unique ITS genotypes (Colombia, 113; Hawai'i, 126; Mexico, 32; Puerto Rico, 40). The most abundant taxa were Colletotrichum, Fusarium, Penicillium, and Xylariaceae. Overall, 220 genotypes were detected in only one of the countries sampled; only two genotypes were found in all four countries. Endophytes were also isolated from Coffea canephora, Coffea congensis, Coffea liberica, Coffea macrocarpa, Coffea racemosa, and Coffea stenophylla in Hawai'i. The high biodiversity of fungal endophytes in coffee plants may indicate that most of these are “accidental tourists” with no role in the plant, in contrast to endophytes that could be defined as “influential passengers” and whose role in the plant has been elucidated. This study, the most comprehensive analysis of fungal endophytes associated with a single host species, demonstrates that coffee plants serve as a reservoir for a wide variety of fungal endophytes that can be isolated from various plant tissues, including the seed, and illustrates the different fungal communities encountered by C. arabica in different coffee-growing regions of the world.

The coffee berry borer (CBB) Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) was accidentally introduced into Mexico in 1978, and rapidly became the main pest of coffee. As an exotic pest, its management has been mainly based on biological control methods through the introduction of parasitoids from Africa. In this context, at the beginning of the present decade, the parasitoid Phymastichus coffea LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) was imported to Mexico. Since then, several studies have been carried out as part of the post introduction evaluation of this parasitoid. In this paper, information concerning the parasitism and life-cycle of P. coffea in coffee farms is presented with the objective of providing information that elucidates its role as a biological control agent. P. coffea showed highly significant preferences for allocation of two eggs per host, usually one female and one male. Both offspring are able to develop and reach the adult stage successfully. Lifespan of adults is 2–3 days only. The degree of parasitism by P. coffea was more than 95% at the three altitudes tested, when releases consisted of a ratio of 10 CBB:1 parasitoid. The median survivorship of CBB parasitized by this wasp was 13, 15 and 19 days at the low, medium and high altitude coffee zones, respectively. The parasitism by P. coffea was higher when parasitoid releases were carried out simultaneously with the CBB, and decreased with the time between host and parasitoid releases. We showed that using P. coffea at a density of 1 parasitoid per 10 hosts resulted in a 3- to 5.6-fold decrease in CBB damage to the coffee seeds when compared to the control. The importance and value of these results are discussed in terms of the use of P. coffea as a biological control agent of the CBB in Latin America.

The coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari), is the most devastating insect pest of coffee throughout the world. Adult females bore a hole in the coffee berry, where they deposit their eggs; upon hatching, larvae feed on the coffee seeds inside the berry, thus reducing yield and quality of the marketable product. The insect spends most of its life inside the coffee berry, making it extremely difficult to control. This paper presents a short review of the literature dealing with natural enemies of the coffee berry borer, on the possible use of fungal endophytes as a biocontrol strategy, and on factors that might be involved in attracting the insect towards the coffee plant. The paper identifies some areas where research efforts should be focused to increase the chances of successfully developing an effective pest management strategy against the coffee berry borer.

The competition between Cephalonomia stephanoderis and Prorops nasuta was studied in the laboratory, using coffee fruits infested with the host of these parasitoids, the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei. Experiments were performed under different conditions, using: (a) three temperatures; (b) five densities of infested coffee fruits; and (c) introducing the parasitoids at different times. The effect of competition was determined according to the production of the progeny. When cultured together at the same time, C. stephanoderis produced in general, more progeny than P. nasuta under conditions of 29°C and alternating temperatures of 18-29°C. Nevertheless, there were significant differences at densities of 1: 3, fruits: parasitoids (F 0.05 = 8.9; d.f. = 1, 12; P < 0.05) and 1: 5 (F 0.05 = 7.56; d.f. = 1, 12; P < 0.05) at 29°C. Under alternating temperatures, there were differences at the same ratios as above in favour of C. stephanoderis, 1: 3 (F 0.05 = 20.08; d.f. = 1, 12; P < 0.05) and 1: 5 (F 0.05 = 20.21; d.f. = 1, 12; P < 0.05). Prorops nasuta was clearly more successful in all densities at 18°C. When C. stephanoderis was introduced 10 days before P. nasuta, the progeny production was markedly higher in eight from 10 densities at temperatures of 29°C and 18-29°C. Despite being introduced 10 days later, P. nasuta showed better performance at 18°C. When P. nasuta was introduced 10 days earlier than C. stephanoderis, there were significant differences in progeny production in favour of P. nasuta in 13 of 15 fruit densities under the three temperatures. Both parasitoids avoided ovipositing on previously parasitized hosts. Aggressive behaviour or interference was not observed when they were outside coffee fruits.

The coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei, is the most economically important insect pest of coffee worldwide. We present an analysis of the draft genome of the coffee berry borer, the third genome for a Coleopteran species. The genome size is ca. 163 Mb with 19,222 predicted protein-coding genes. Analysis was focused on genes involved in primary digestion as well as gene families involved in detoxification of plant defense molecules and insecticides, such as carboxylesterases, cytochrome P450, gluthathione S-transferases, ATP-binding cassette transporters and a gene that confers resistance to the insecticide dieldrin. A broad range of enzymes capable of degrading complex polysaccharides were identified. We also evaluated the pathogen defense system and found homologs to antimicrobial genes reported in the Drosophila genome. Ten cases of horizontal gene transfer were identified with evidence for expression, integration into the H. hampei genome and phylogenetic evidence that the sequences are more closely related to bacterial rather than eukaryotic genes. The draft genome analysis broadly expands our knowledge on the biology of a devastating tropical insect pest and suggests new pest management strategies.

The coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei) is the most devastating insect pest of coffee worldwide with its infestations decreasing crop yield by up to 80%. Caffeine is an alkaloid that can be toxic to insects and is hypothesized to act as a defence mechanism to inhibit herbivory. Here we show that caffeine is degraded in the gut of H. hampei, and that experimental inactivation of the gut microbiota eliminates this activity. We demonstrate that gut microbiota in H. hampei specimens from seven major coffee-producing countries and laboratory-reared colonies share a core of microorganisms. Globally ubiquitous members of the gut microbiota, including prominent Pseudomonas species, subsist on caffeine as a sole source of carbon and nitrogen. Pseudomonas caffeine demethylase genes are expressed in vivo in the gut of H. hampei, and re-inoculation of antibiotic-treated insects with an isolated Pseudomonas strain reinstates caffeine-degradation ability confirming their key role., The coffee berry borer, the main insect pest of coffee, feeds and lives on the caffeine-rich beans despite caffeine's toxic effects. Here Ceja-Navarro et al. show that certain microbes, including Pseudomonas species, mediate caffeine detoxification in the insect's gut.

The genus Hypothenemus consists of 181 species with worldwide distribution and with greatest diversity in the tropics. Most species are very small, poorly described, and difficult to distinguish. Some common features shared by Hypothenemus species are (1) pre-dispersal sibling mating; (2) flightless males having vestigial wings; (3) a skewed sex ratio favoring females; and (4) females are bigger than males. An illustrated guide to morphological features useful in identifying members of the genus is provided. The most economically important species in the genus is H. hampei (Ferrari), the coffee berry borer, which has been reported in most coffee producing countries worldwide. A vast body of coffee berry borer-related literature published in Dutch, English, French, Portuguese, and Spanish has been consulted to provide an in-depth analysis of the research that has been conducted on the insect. Research areas such as the use of traps baited with non-specific attractants, the introduction of parasitoids, and the use of fungal entomopathogens have been repeatedly studied in many countries, even though the results have not been promising. Two pest management options with higher chances of alleviating the problems caused by the insect are identified: the use of attractants and/or repellents specific to the coffee berry borer.

Phymastichus coffea (LaSalle) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is an African endoparasitoid of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) that has been introduced to several countries to control this important pest. In the present study we performed a series of laboratory experiments in order to determine if there was evidence of host discrimination and superparasitism in P. coffea. Our choice experiments demonstrate that P. coffea females showed significant preference to attack unparasitized hosts, rather than those parasitized conspecifically. No significant preferences were detected in self-specific attacks between parasitized hosts and the healthy ones. A further dissection of hosts sequentially attacked either self or conspecifically, revealed that there were no more than two eggs per host. As P. coffea is a species that normally allocates two eggs per host in a single attack, we assumed that females were able to attack already parasitized hosts, but they did not lay eggs in them. Based on this fact, we conclude that there is a host discrimination ability in P. coffea females. With respect to the superparasitism by P. coffea using non-choice experiments, there was no significant difference between self-specific or conspecific attacks with respect to the control after one or two successive attacks. Conspecific attacks yielded the largest numbers of eggs after 3rd, 4th and 5th attacks and significant differences were found between this treatment and the control. The maximum number of eggs found in a single host was six individuals (conspecific treatment). These results confirmed that P. coffea usually laid two eggs per host; however, when there are no hosts available, conspecific attacks can result in the superparasitism in this species.

Phymastichus coffea (LaSalle) is an African parasitoid of adults of the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) that has been introduced to Mexico and other Central and South American countries for the biological control of this important pest. The present study assessed the host specificity of this parasitoid in the laboratory. We tested the acceptance and parasitism of P. coffea on five species of bark beetle adults commonly found in coffee plantations of Mexico: Hypothenemus crudiae, H. plumeriae, H. eruditus, Scolytodes borealis and Araptus fossifrons. As a control, we used adults of H. hampei‘ the natural host. P. coffea parasitized and successfully completed its life cycle in H. crudiae and H. eruditus, as well as in H. hampei. The degree to which bark beetles were attacked by P. coffea was estimated by percent of parasitism, which was 64% for H. hampei, 14% for H. crudiae, and 6% for H. eruditus. The risk of potential deleterious effects of the parasitoid on non-target organisms i...

The composition and seasonal occurrence of sandflies were investigated in coffee agroecosystems in the Soconusco region of Chiapas, Mexico. Insect sampling was performed on three plantations located at different altitudes: Finca Guadalupe Zajú [1,000 m above sea level (a.s.l.)], Finca Argovia (613 m a.s.l.) and Teotihuacán del Valle (429 m a.s.l.). Sandflies were sampled monthly from August 2007-July 2008 using three sampling methods: Shannon traps, CDC miniature light traps and Disney traps. Sampling was conducted for 3 h during three consecutive nights, beginning at sunset. A total of 4,387 sandflies were collected during the course of the study: 2,718 individuals in Finca Guadalupe Zajú, 605 in Finca Argovia and 1,064 in Teotihuacán del Valle. The Shannon traps captured 94.3% of the total sandflies, while the CDC light traps and Disney traps captured 4.9% and 0.8%, respectively. More females than males were collected at all sites. While the number of sandflies captured was positively correlated with temperature and relative humidity, a negative correlation was observed between sandfly numbers and rainfall. Five species of sandflies were captured: Lutzomyia cruciata , Lutzomyia texana , Lutzomyia ovallesi , Lutzomyia cratifer / undulata and Brumptomyia sp. Lu. cruciata , constituting 98.8% of the total, was the most abundant species. None of the captured sandflies was infected with Leishmania spp.

(With 1 figure)One of the most important biological invasions of a tropical agroecosystem in the Americas commenced in 1913 in Brazil. Indigenous to Central Africa, the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), was introduced to the state of Sao Paulo in coffee seeds imported from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Berthet, 1913). As growers were not familiar with this insect, it was not until 1924, when damage had become widespread, that the insect was recognised to be the same species infesting coffee plantations in Africa (Da Silva, 2006).This ca. 2 mm long beetle is the most devastating insect pest of coffee worldwide. The insect spends most of its life cycle concealed inside the coffee berry, making it quite difficult to control (Vega et al., 2009). Females bore into the berry and oviposit in galleries within the seed; total progeny can reach up to 300 individuals within a single berry (Jaramillo et al., 2009). Upon hatching, larvae consume the seed, thus reducing quality and yields of the marketable product. In Brazil alone, this insect causes losses estimated at $215-358 million annually (Oliveira et al., 2013). Subsequent to its introduction to Brazil, the insect has invaded all coffee-growing areas in the Americas and the Caribbean and has now been reported in nearly all coffee-producing countries worldwide (Vega et al., 2009). The term “invasive” that denotes the uncontrolled spread of an organism outside its native range, is well suited for the coffee berry borer, based on its widespread geographic distribution.Of the ca. 1,603 coffee berry borer-related papers published worldwide in the past one hundred years (Figure 1), only 602 are peer-reviewed, for an average of six papers per year. These data reveal the scant amount of scientific information published on an insect pest that directly affects 20 million coffee-growing families, equivalent to over 100 million people, in ca. 80 coffee-producing countries (Vega et al., 2009). In contrast, 1,654 peer-reviewed papers on another tropical invasive species, the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Weidemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae), were published in 22 years (1990-2012), equivalent to 75 peer-reviewed papers per year. Approximately 31% of all coffee berry borer-related papers deal with biological control based on parasitoids and fungal entomopathogens, indicating the continued emphasis placed on these natural enemies even though their impact in reducing population levels has been variable (Vega et al., 2009). Similarly, the repeated attempts to trap the insect (3% of papers) using an ethanol-methanol attractant should not be considered an effective pest management option, bearing in mind that field populations of the coffee berry borer can reach 11 million individuals per hectare (Baker and Barrera, 1993) and that the total number of trapped insects has been reported at ca. 2000 per day (Dufour and Frerot, 2008).Rather than continuing to focus on the same and repeatedly tested pest management methods (i.e., parasitoids, fungal entomopathogens, trapping), novel and modern research approaches to deal with a 100-year-old invasion are needed. For example, there are promising underexplored research areas involving the development of coffee berry borer attractants and/or repellents that could lead to more effective pest management strategies (Vega et al., 2009). Similarly, a better understanding of the microbiota associated with the coffee berry borer might reveal novel pest management options, including interference with Wolbachia (an α-proteobacterium responsible for female-biased sex ratios) (Vega et al., 2002). The recent identification of a bacterial gene [HhMAN1] from the H. hampei genome, suggests the presence of symbiotic bacteria in the intestinal flora, which allow the insect to use galactomannans present in the coffee seeds (Acuna et al., 2012). We presume that the presence of symbionts might be responsible for allowing H. hampei to occupy a unique ecological niche inside the coffee seeds. Future studies might reveal a possible role for other microorganisms in breaking down caffeine, an alkaloid present in the seed and known to be toxic to other insects. Thus, an in-depth study of the microbiota associated to the coffee berry borer might reveal mechanisms that could be manipulated to negatively affect specific microorganisms that are essential for the survival of the coffee berry borer.The coffee berry borer continues to cause major economic losses and remains a major challenge for tropical entomologists and coffee growers. The historical analysis of the scientific literature reveals a paucity of coffee berry borer papers published when compared to another major insect pest, the Mediterranean fruit fly. It is imperative for coffee-producing countries to critically reassess research programmes aimed at managing this insect. Understanding the historical attempts to manage the coffee berry borer and identifying the most promising strategies for reducing losses could finally result in a major breakthrough that would improve the livelihoods of coffee growers worldwide.

Phymastichus coffea LaSalle is an African endoparasitoid of adults of the coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) that was introduced into Mexico for biological control purposes. The objective of this study was to investigate the oviposition behavior of P. coffea on its host under laboratory conditions. The results indicate that P. coffea females exhibited 12 behavioral acts during and after oviposition, such as, walking, cleaning, flying, surface landing, resting, host landing, host antennation, touching the host with forelegs, host recognition, walking on the host, oviposition and cleaning after oviposition. The sequence of each behavior is described in an ethogram.

The relationship between temperature and rate of development is described for Cephalonomia stephanoderis Betrem, an imported ectoparasitoid of the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari).For all stages, development rate increased linearly with temperature between 17 and 32°C. However, at 37°C both eggs and larvae died. When the parasitoid constructed a cocoon, the lower developmental threshold (t) varied from 11.8°C in the eggs to 14.2°C for pupae; when no cocoon was constructed, it varied from 11.8°C for the eggs to 14.3°C for pupae. The lower developmental threshold, from egg to adult, was 13.7°C (with cocoon) and 13.8°C (without cocoon). As these differences were small in relation to the standard errors of the estimates, they were not considered different. Because C. stephanoderis always constructs a cocoon under field conditions, the threshold temperature of 13.7°C seems to be the most suitable.Physiological time expressed in degree-days (DD) for the egg to adult cycle of C. stephanoderis is 252.7 ± 45.3 DD (α = 0.05) when a cocoon is constructed, and 242.5 ± 35.1 DD (α = 0.05) when pupation occurs without construction of a cocoon.

La broca del café, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), es la plaga mas importante del cultivo de café en el mundo. Beauveria bassiana es un hongo entomopatógeno generalista ampliamente utilizado por los productores de café para controlar a H. hampei. Phymastichus coffea LaSalle es un endoparasitoide africano de adultos de la broca, recién importado a varios países de Latinoamérica y del Caribe para el control de esta plaga. En el presente estudio se realizaron bioensayos de laboratorio con el objetivo de determinar si B. bassiana es detrimental para el parasitoide P. coffea. La susceptibilidad del parasitoide fue evaluada en términos de supervivencia de adultos, concentración letal media (CL50), tiempo letal medio (TL50), reproducción y mortalidad de su progenie. El principal efecto del hongo resultó en la disminución de la longevidad de los adultos y en la mortalidad del 100% de los inmaduros del parasitoide. La CL50 para adultos de P. coffea fue de 0.11% equivalente a 9.53 x 10(7) conidias/ml de B. bassiana y una TL50 de 29.4h, equivalente a la reducción del 22% de su longevidad normal como adulto. P. coffea fue capaz de transmitir esporas de B. bassiana a brocas no infectadas con el hongo y originar indirectamente la muerte de su progenie. Este trabajo servirá de referencia cuando se contemple el empleo de ambos organismos a nivel de campo, especialmente dentro de un plan de manejo integral de la plaga. The coffee berry borer, Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), is the most important coffee pest worldwide. Beauveria bassiana is a generalist entomopathogenic fungus widely used by coffee farmers to control this pest and Phymastichus coffea LaSalle (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is an African endoparasitoid of H. hampei adults, recently imported to several Latin American and Caribbean countries to aid in the coffee berry borer control. The objective of this study was to determine if B. bassiana is detrimental to P. coffea. The susceptibility of the parasitoid was evaluated in terms of adult survivorship, mean lethal concentration (LC50), mean lethal time (LT50), reproduction and immature mortality. The main effect of the fungus resulted in reduction of adult longevity and mortality of 100% for immature stages of this parasitoid. The LC50 for adults was 0.11% equivalent to 9.53 x 10(7) conidia/ml of B. bassiana and a LT50 of 29.4h, equivalent to reduction of 22% of its normal longevity as an adult. P. coffea was capable of disseminating spores of B. bassiana to non-infected H. hampei adults, which could indirectly cause the death of its own progeny. These results could be valuable when considering the use of both organisms in the field, especially in an integrated pest management program.