DIFERENCIACIÓN GENÉTICA Y BIOLÓGICA DEL PARASITOIDE DE LA BROCA DEL CAFÉ, Prorops nasuta,

Biological control is one of the major components of the Integrated Pest Management Program of coffee berry borer in Colombia. The bethylid parasitoids Prorops nasuta and Cephalonomia stephanoderis were introduced to the country in 1989 and 1990, a time during which a mass rearing and release program began in affected coffee plantations. In order to compare the biological variability of P. nasuta in terms of predation capacity, parasitism, and longevity as well as to determine genetic variability by the AFLP technique, coffee samples were collected with parasitized berry borer in seven departments of Colombia, and P. nasuta colonies were set according to geographical origin. Narrow intraspecific relationships were found through molecular tests when comparing the individuals established in the country with samples from Brazil and Mexico. A polymorphism of 62% and a weak population structure were found, which suggests that genetic diversity is possibly due to a cross between the introductions of the parasitoid in the offspring in laboratory rather than the selection pressure under field conditions. The Colombian population proved to be different from that in Brazil and Mexico. Although the parasitoids biological characterizations of the Cenicafe rearing unit showed better performance followed by a population of Narino, the genetic similarity between populations did not allow to establish differences. These results suggest that any parasitoids breeding strategy in Colombia must include new introductions of divergent populations.