1Central Coffee Research Institute, Coffee Research Station, Balehonnur, Chikmagalur Dt., Karnataka, India
Department of Entomology, Coffee Research Sub Station, Chettalli, Kodagu dt, Karnataka-571248, India
*E-mail: uma.m.s.ent@gmail.com
Online published on 24 December, 2014.
The fruit eating bat, Cynopterus sphinx, plays important role in pollination and seed dispersal in many plants. Yet, they are considered as pests on fruit and plantation crops due to their voracious feeding habit. The extensive feeding of bats on tender twigs of robusta coffee leads to drying of fruit bearing branches resulting in crop loss. The present study is an attempt to quantify the crop loss caused by the bats on robusta coffee. The data indicated that the crop damage ranged from 5.9 to 9.48 percent.
Coffee, bearing twigs, damage, Short nosed fruit bat
