Coffee control

Coffee borer (Hypothenemus hampei) is the worst insect pest for coffee plants in the cloud forest ecosystem where our farmers eke out a living. New graduate Mauricio Colquehuanca -- our first this year! -- defended his research project about how the biocontrol the fungus Beauveria bassiana grows at different levels of humidity. He discovered that this pest-killing fungus will not grow at all above 75% humidity, and even better as the humidity increases. This information helps us improve how we mass produce the fungus effectively in the lab, to help farmers control this devastating pest.

Here Mauricio contemplates a question put to him by his defense committee. Good job Mauricio!