DEVELOPING INTEGRATED ECOLOGICAL TACTICS FOR MANAGING SUGARCANE APHID OUTBREAK

The outbreak of the sugarcane aphid on sorghum has caused severe economic losses in grain, forage, silage and sweet sorghum production. The objectives of this project are: 1) to monitor sugarcane aphid migration and aphid population dynamics using sentinel plots; 2) to examine perennial grasses as overwintering hosts throughout the year to provide data to validate synoptic model for sugarcane aphid migration and to define geographic overwintering potential; and 3) to integrate all existing management tactics to provide both short-term and long-term solutions for growers, which includes identifying the best commercial hybrids available, effective insecticides, and maximize the potential of using natural enemies (i.e., predators, parasitoids, and pathogens) for explosive aphid population growth and aphid population collapse in six weeks.