Sugarcane aphids have been found in sorghum fields near San Saba and Coleman. This sighting marks the first time the insect has been found west of Interstate-35, according to AgriLife Today.
Dr. Charles Allen, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service statewide integrated pest management coordinator, says, “Finding sugarcane aphids further west does not necessarily mean that the aphid will move into the large grain sorghum-producing areas in the Rolling Plains and High Plains, but growers need to be aware that sugarcane aphids have been found west of where they were seen last year.”
The aphids deposit a sticky waste on the plant leaves that clogs harvesting equipment and they can slow the plant ripening process, reducing both grain quality and yields.
Allen warned, “Growers should keep a close watch on their grain sorghum fields as the plants begin to head.”
Approximately 3 million acres of grain sorghum is planted in Texas, with about 1.9 million of those acres west of I-35.