Project Number: 1245-22000-270-07
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jul 15, 2009
End Date: Sep 18, 2012

Objective:
ARS and Cooperator are interested in identifying previously unreported natural enemies of the coffee berry borer. The Cooperator has the expertise and infrastructure to conduct field sampling for natural enemies. Amendment 1 will address the critical needs of our cooperator with regard to collecting specific data. The project deals with the identification of natural enemies of the coffee berry borer. A large number of insects will need to be examined after they emerge from coffee berry borer-infested coffee berries. These insects will be processed in Kenya, including mounting and identification to genus level. They will subsequently be sent to Beltsville for identification to species level. In order to expeditiously process the large number of insects that will be collected during the duration of this agreement, the collaborator is in need of a stereoscope. At present, we have a surplus stereoscope that will be sent to the cooperator for the duration of the agreement and any subsequent agreements. Due to the age of the apparatus and the projected usage that it will receive during this agreement, we believe that it is in the best interest of the agency that the title will rest with the collaborator at the end of this agreement.

Approach:
ARS and Cooperator will acquire basic knowledge on new natural enemies of the coffee berry borer.