Success StoryEffective Control of Sugarcane Aphid by Sorghum growers in 2016 and 2017



Effective Control of Sugarcane Aphid by Sorghum growers in 2016 and 2017

Author: Raul Villanueva

Planning Unit: Entomology

Major Program: Integrated Plant Pest Management

Outcome: Intermediate Outcome

Sweet Sorghum Farmers in Trig Co. and many other areas of KY were able to control the sugarcane aphid (Melanaphis sacchari) in 2016 and 2017 following the advice of Drs. Bessin and VillanuevaWe supported the sorghum (sweet and grain sorghum) producers in several ways: (a) we facilitated the registration of insecticides to control this pest, (b) conducted studies on small replicated tests in the Research and Education Center in Kentucky (comparing insecticides to control the sugarcane aphid), (c) planted sorghum at different dates (transplant vs. earlier, late planting), (d) collected data from growers fields from both sites,  (e) educated farmers and conducted field days dedicated specially to Amish growers. In Cerulean sweet sorghum farmers followed the guidelines of the University of Kentucky personnel using insecticides in some part of their fields, whereas in Vernon the farmers were trying to grown organic sweet sorghum and for this they utilized natural enemy releases. At the end of the growing season the Cerulean farmers produced larger yields compared with Vernon farmers, but the pest was not as devastating as in the 2015.  Additionally farmers developed their own techniques to apply the sprays using mules and delivering the pesticides on diverse formas as suggested by the faculty named above.







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