Coffee aficionados worldwide have reason to celebrate! A groundbreaking study by
researchers at The University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona, in collaboration with
international partners, has cracked the code on the Coffee Berry Borer (CBB), a tiny
beetle with a devastating impact on coffee crops. This research paves the way for
sustainable solutions to protect coffee production, benefitting both farmers and the
environment.

Jamaica's world-renowned Blue Mountain Coffee is a critical source of national pride and
economic revenue. Since the arrival of CBB from Africa in 1978, however, coffee yields
and quality have been under threat. The research delves into the beetle's genetic
makeup, aiming to understand its survival mechanisms and how it is able to thrive,
ultimately paving the way for better control methods to safeguard the livelihoods of coffee
growers.

A Global Threat, a Local Solution: The CBB is a menace worldwide, burrowing into
coffee berries and destroying both yield and quality. Globally, losses exceed 450 million
Euros annually, a significant dent in a 65 billion Euro coffee industry. Existing control
methods to combat the beetle are environmentally harmful, ineffective, expensive, or
require a significant amount of effort to collect and dispose of infested berries hence the
need for a more integrated pest management approach.

A collaborative team of researchers from the University of Regensburg, the University of
Münster, and The University of the West Indies has conducted a comprehensive genetic
analysis of the Coffee Berry Borer (CBB). By resequencing the CBB genome and
comparing DNA samples from diverse Jamaican farms, the study revealed a striking
pattern: low genetic diversity, indicative of a recent population bottleneck. Additionally,
the analysis uncovered a significant increase in the activity of transposable elements
within CBB populations.

"By studying the genetic diversity of CBB populations across Jamaica, researchers can
predict behavioural patterns and identify susceptibilities to various control measures. This
knowledge is essential for designing targeted, site-specific pest management strategies
to minimize economic losses while protecting the environment," explains Dr. Dwight
Robinson, co-author and Senior Lecturer in the faculty of Science and Technology at The
UWI Mona. By understanding the beetle's genetic makeup, researchers can predict its
behaviour and identify weaknesses for targeted control measures. Such measures can
significantly reduce reliance on harmful pesticides, protecting both the environment and
the livelihoods of coffee farmers.

Published in Genome Biology and Evolution, the study reveals a surprising finding: the
Jamaican CBB population exhibits low genetic diversity, suggesting a past "genetic
bottleneck.” Despite this, the beetle possesses unique genetic features that enable it to
thrive.

"This is exactly the type of fundamental research which is essential for bringing about
novel and transformative solutions to the real problems plaguing Jamaica’s agricultural
industry. The future potential for using these results is enormous, particularly in
safeguarding critical livelihoods in developing countries like ours,” emphasizes Prof.
Michael Taylor, Dean of the Faculty of Science and Technology at The UWI Mona. This
groundbreaking research not only advances the fight against the Coffee Berry Borer but
also underscores the transformative potential of science and collaboration in
safeguarding the future of coffee farming globally.

Citation: Errbii, Mohammed, Myrie, Ameka, Robinson, Dwight, Schultner, Eva, Schrader,
Lukas, Oettler, Jan. (2024) Genetic Variation in Jamaican Populations of the Coffee Berry
Borer, Hypothenemus hampei. Genome Biology and Evolution. Volume 16 (11)
https://doi.org/10.1093/gbe/evae217