New species of pest identified in Brazilian coffee

The Capixaba Institute of Research, Technical Assistance, and Rural Extension (Incaper) issued a warning about the emergence of a new pest species in conilon coffee plantations in Brazil.

The pest, known as ″cochonilha,″ belongs to the genus, Pseudococcus, and has been affecting coffee plantations in the Brazilian states of Espírito Santo and southern Bahia.

According to Incaper, Pseudococcus settles on conilon plants and colonizes fruits, stem, branches, and leaves. With rising heat, environmental conditions become favorable for the pest, allowing it to proliferate more easily, it added.

Agronomist Bruno Pella, an Incaper extensionist, drew attention to the presence of the new pest in a conilon coffee plantation in his region of work.

There were no reports of such cochonilha occurrences in previous years, and current damage to coffee crops has caused concerns among producers, he said.

Incaper’s entomologist and researcher, Renan Batista Queiroz, explained that research had focused on managing pests like ″cochonilha-da-roseta″ from the genus Planococcus, and ″cochonilha-da-raiz″ from the genus, Dysmicoccus, in past years.

Incaper said that they have been monitoring plantations to improve the management strategies shared with rural producers.

Queiroz stressed that producers can differentiate this new species from the rosette scale by observing two filaments at the end of the new pest's body, which are like small antennae.

″We will intensify our research to bring new results and control strategies against this cochonilha,″ he said.

″We are at the disposal of rural producers and will accompany them in the field so we can answer their questions regarding controlling this pest with research results,″ Pella stressed.

Coffee growers who identify the pests on their properties can contact Incaper’s offices in municipalities for further guidance and map the presence of the new species in the state.

(Editing by Leonardo Gottems, reporter for AgroPages)