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Extension Entomology

Tag: soft dough stage

Sorghum Pest Update

Posted on by Sharon Schroll

— by Dr. Jeff Whitworth, Dr. Holly Schwarting and J.R. Ewing

Much sorghum throughout north central Kansas is at least in the soft dough stage and thus has passed through the most susceptible stages for sorghum headworm infestations.  However, any sorghum yet to head out will still be susceptible to these headworms as there will still be at least one more generation.

All four aphids species, corn leaf, greenbugs, sugarcane, and yellow sugarcane, are still in every sorghum field we sampled throughout north central Kansas.  All populations seem to be increasing but there are relatively healthy populations of beneficials present as well.

SCAwLB

Sorghum Pest Update

Posted on by Sharon Schroll

–by Dr. Jeff Whitworth and Dr. Holly Schwarting

The majority of the double cropped sorghum seems to be past flowering and almost to the soft dough stage.  This means much of this crop is almost past the susceptible stage relative to corn earworms (a.k.a. sorghum headworms), which is about soft dough.  Later planted sorghum still needs to be monitored though as earworm moths are still ovipositing in sorghum heads.  Sugarcane aphids (SCA) are still very active in north central Kansas, as are their natural enemies, and thus these populations should also continue to be monitored.  The insecticides registered for sugarcane aphids have performed really well at controlling these aphids, as have the products used for controlling headworms.  Just remember, gallonage is extremely important for SCA applications.