Genetic characterization and DNA barcoding of coffee shot-hole borer, Xylosandrus compactus (Eichhoff) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae)

Abstract Beetles of the subfamily Scolytinae are the most damaging insects in the world. Among which the black twig borer, Xylosandrus compactus (Eichhoff) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae), is one of the serious pests in coffee plantations. Their cryptic life cycle inside the host plant makes these insects difficult to control. For its effective management accurate, timely and rapid identification of species is critical. By cloning and sequencing the 5' mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase c subunit 1 (COI) gene, the beetle’s molecular identification confirmed its identity as X. compactus. No pseudogenes and indels were found in analyzed nucleotide sequences; they match with high similarity in nucleotide NCBI Basic Local Alignment Search Tool search. The X. compactus COI genes sequences were deposited at NCBI GenBank with accession numbers of KY172634, KY172635 and the Barcode of Life (BOLD) with BIN ID: ACB4177. Furthermore, based on multiple sequence alignment of the X. compactus MtCOI gene, a phylogenetic tree with maximum probability was drawn. X. compactus species clustered together which agree with the species data collected from NCBI GenBank database from the different geographic regions. There were no morphological and molecular differences between space and time—collected coffee shot—hole borers, thus all the specimens described were X. compactus infesting both robusta and arabica coffee.