Where We Currently Stand with the Sugarcane Aphid

A lot has happened over the last month with the Sugarcane aphid (SCA). Here is a brief timeline of what we have learned from monitoring and overwintering study results on the High Plains.

April 4

Tommy Doederlein (Extension Agent – IPM, Dawson and Lynn Counties) has reported successful SCA overwintering between Lamesa and O’Donnell. This is the second year in a row that Tommy has found successful overwintering in his cages by the SCA, although last year’s results were not conclusive. To date, this is the most northerly location of SCA overwintering.

April 25

Xandra Morris (Extension Agent – IPM, Hill County) has found winged aphids in Hill County on Johnson grass where they overwintered.

April 29

Blayne Reed (Extension Agent – IPM, Hale, Swisher, Floyd Counties) has reported successful SCA overwintering in Hale Co. Johnson grass inside the overwintering cage had adults and nymphs, while the Johnson grass outside the cage did not have any aphids. To date, this is now the farthest north we have found SCA to have overwintered, by about 80 miles.

May 3

Dr. Pat Porter (Extension Entomologist) and I found SCA on Johnson grass in Lubbock County about six miles east of New Deal. We found adults, several nymphs, and one alatoid (a nymph that will soon become a winged adult). This early May finding is almost a full eight weeks before the first sighting of SCA in Lubbock Co last year (found on June 27, 2015).

May 6

Xandra Morris (Extension Agent – IPM, Hill County) has found SCA feeding on sorghum near Itasca. There were only one or two aphids per colony, with less than 1% of plants containing aphids.

SCA on Johnson grass in Lubbock Co on May 3. Photo: Pat Porter.

Texas A&M Agrilife Extension has put together some excellent material on SCA management for grain and forage sorghum. Contact or stop by your local county extension office for more information!