Defend Your Crop
The sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari, was discovered late in the 2013 growing season in the coastal sorghum regions of Texas. Public and private crop protection partners have researched and learned a great deal about the pest over the last seven growing seasons, and today farmers are effectively managing the aphid. Occasionally, growers and consultants may refer to the sugarcane aphid as the ‘white aphid’ or ‘SCA’.
Diligence is key, and it is important for producers to scout fields and apply a recommended insecticide when the economic threshold is reached. Sugarcane aphids will only survive and multiply significantly in sorghum genotypes, including Johnsongrass, shattercane, sorghum-sudangrass, sudangrass, forage sorghum and grain sorghum. Sugarcane aphids will not survive on any of the major crops such as corn, cotton, soybeans or wheat. However, sugarcane aphids are distributed by the wind, so small colonies can be found in these crops, but at this time, they have not been found to be of economic importance. The sugarcane aphid that infests sorghum is a different biotype than the sugarcane aphid that is found in sugarcane but they look identical in appearance.
Aphid Effects
Scouting
When to Treat
Insecticides
Insecticide Application
Hybrids and Tolerance/Resistance
Beneficial Insects
Harvest Considerations
Video Series
Below are seven videos that are part of our sugarcane aphid management series. In the videos, Sorghum Checkoff agronomist Brent Bean, Ph.D., summarizes the research findings into best management practices and next steps for growers.
Texas A&M AgriLife Extension: SCA Identification and Estimating SCA Numbers
Play VideoInformation provided by the United Sorghum Checkoff Program