Sorghum

With the rising number of sugarcane aphids found in sorghum, it is important to positively identify the different aphids found in sorghum.  See full post for tips on identifying the different aphids. 

Dated: May 2017

Forage sorghums are warm-season, annual grasses that have the potential to produce large amounts of nutritious forage during summer months, especially in lower-elevation deserts, like central Arizona. If managed properly, sorghum can be used as supplemental feed during times of inadequate forage production or can be used as an emergency, late-planted crop to replace a primary crop that has been damaged by wind, hail or drought early in the growing season.  See full post for more information. 

Attention SORGHUM producers and PCAs! Through the Arizona Department of Agriculture, the state of Arizona has sought and received a Section 18 Emergency Exemption that permits the use of Transform WG insecticide within Arizona for the control of sugarcane aphid in sorghum. This new pest to Arizona is known to be highly invasive and difficult to control in sorghum with many older chemistries. Because of the imminent economic harm that this pest represents to our sorghum producers and the dairies that they serve, you may now apply for a permit from ADA and use Transform WG immediately to control sugarcane aphid. It is important that you follow and comply with all instructions provided by ADA and on the Section 18 label for Transform WG.  See the full post for more information. 

Dated: Sept. 2016

The UA members of the Arizona Pest Management Center collected and field identified several samples from the Maricopa / Stanfield areas. The identification by Gene Hall UA Insect Diagnostician confirmed this invader as sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari. This is a new pest report for our state.  See the full post for more information. 

Dated: Aug. 2016