Microbiota Associated with Hypothenemus hampei and Cephalonomia stephanoderis in coffee beans
Coffee is one of the most important agricultural commodities worldwide and was an important economic crop in Puerto Rico in the 19th century. It has been declining in the past decades due to the arrival of the Coffee Berry Borer insect (Hypothenemus hampei) and other factors. Additionally, a hymenopteran parasitoid was introduced in Puerto Rico to control the insect. This parasitoid -C. stephanoderis - has a predatory behavior and parasitic modes of action. We planned to evaluate both the lab-reared and wild host/parasitoid dyads in order compare differences in their microbiomes as well as test for site specific core microbiomes by characterizing dyads collected across Puerto Rico's coffee area with variable climatic conditions.