A tiny insect—referred to as the sugarcane aphid by Texas A&M AgriLife researchers—is posing a serious threat to the Texas grain sorghum crop.
The insect of unknown origin was discovered last year in a grain sorghum field in the Beaumont area. It has also been found in Mexico, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma and other areas of Texas, including the Coastal Bend and the Lower Rio Grande Valley.
The aphid decreases yields and produces abundant honeydew, which keeps grain from dislodging from the plant at harvest and gums up harvesting equipment.
AgriLife researchers are conducting studies to determine their ability to manage sugarcane aphid populations.