After a period of research, the Dak Lak Plant Protection Department has identified the key pests affecting coffee trees and introduced effective control solutions. These measures help farmers increase yields and improve coffee quality while limiting environmental pollution.
According to the department, 16 pest species have been recorded, spanning 12 families across six insect orders. Several of these pests—such as green soft scale, fruit mealybugs, root mealybugs, aphids, stem borers, branch borers, and coffee-berry borers—can attack coffee plants throughout their growth stages, causing significant economic damage and reducing both yield and bean quality.
Researchers also identified 16 natural enemies belonging to 10 families in six insect orders. Common beneficial species found in coffee plantations include green lacewings, brown mirid bugs, hoverflies that feed on aphids, and certain predatory mites.
Field trials demonstrated that insecticides such as Supracide 40ND and Cymerin 25EC are highly effective against fruit mealybugs and green soft scale on coffee. At the same time, the department has promoted the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program—using beneficial natural enemies to control pests—by holding training sessions for coffee growers. This approach lowers input costs, improves economic returns, reduces the harm caused by pests, cuts pesticide residues in coffee beans, and lessens environmental pollution.
In recent years, the department has also investigated two cicada species that damage coffee in Dak Lak: Dundubia spiculata noualhier and Meimuna sp. (tribe Dundubiini, family Cicadidae, order Homoptera). Their nymphs are concentrated 20–70 cm below ground, where the fine root system of coffee plants is dense. After testing several biological products, technicians determined that the bio-insecticide Metavina 90DP, derived from the fungus Metarhizium, is the most effective—achieving over 70 % control of cicada nymphs—while causing minimal environmental impact.