The coffee berry borer (CBB, Hypothenemus hampei) is one of the most serious pests of coffee. The larvae of this beetle, which is native to Africa, live and feed exclusively on coffee beans. It has spread to coffee farms across the world and despite strict monitoring and prevention measures, showed up in Hawaii a decade…
Research on coffee growing
Coffee growing bibliography update
Latest update of peer-reviewed coffee research.
Coffee berry borer research
The Journal of Insect Science recently published an open-access paper: A coffee berry borer (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae) bibliography. This updates previous compilations of research, and now contains nearly 1900 references from mostly peer-reviewed sources. This very useful resource can be downloaded from the journal home page here. I also maintain a bibliography of peer-reviewed papers…
Research: More birds eating coffee berry borers
Summary of recent research directly from the paper, not the press release.
Research: Kopi luwak (civet poop) coffee threatens welfare of animals
More negative outcomes of the trade in kopi luwak — coffee beans pooped out by civets.
Is coffee really at risk of extinction?
Let’s take a look at what a recent scientific paper ACTUALLY said about the impacts of climate change on coffee, versus what the media had to say.
Research: Pollination and fruit set in India
Research on pollination, change in historical pollinators, and fruit set in India, in recognition of Pollinator Week.
Research: How landscape influences coffee pests
How does the surrounding landscape influence the presence and dispersal of three coffee pests?
The quest to grow caffeine-free coffee
The science journal Nature recently ran a great article outlining the problems in growing an ultra-low or caffeine-free variety of coffee, particularly one that would be commercially-viable. It goes over the pitfalls of various attempts at developing and cultivating a species or strain of Coffea that would produce naturally caffeine-free beans, including hybridization and genetic…
Research: Puerto Rican shade coffee and biodiversity
Shade coffee in Puerto Rico: perception and reality.
The curse of the spud
Bugs, bacteria, and the potato defect in East African coffee. Very nerdy post.
Research: Borer-eating warblers may need nearby forests
Want warblers to eat your coffee berry borers? Give them some forest to sleep in.
Endemic Tanzanian coffee threatened by dam
In 2001, an endemic coffee species, Coffea kihansiensis, was discovered in the Kihansi River gorge in the Udzungwa Mountains of Tanzania. The entire range of this species is estimated at about 17 ha between 775 and 950 m. The habitat was shaped by huge amount of spray from an 800-meter-high waterfall which stabilized temperature and…
Research: Types of fruit trees on shade coffee farms important
It’s not just that you have fruit trees on a farm, but what types they are, that are important for birds.
Climate change threatens east African coffee via borers
Some like it hot: The influence and implications of climate change on coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei) and coffee production in east Africa. Jaramillo et al. 2011. PLoS One. An important new paper published this week outlines the threat posed by the expansion of coffee berry borers in east Africa due to climate change. This…