Artificial diet to rear the coffee white stem borer, Xylotrechus quadripes Chev.

Studies were conducted to develop an artificial diet for rearing the coffee white stem borer, Xylotrechus quadripes Chev., the most destructive pest of arabica coffee in India and Indo-China region. Development of an artificial diet enables the researcher to carry out several studies on the different developmental stages to understand the life cycle. After several failures a semi-synthetic diet, including the stem powder of Arabica coffee was developed which enabled the coffee white stem borer to complete the life cycle in the laboratory. Preparation of the diet is described in this article.