Sugarcane Aphid Has Arrived In NC Sorghum

Jul 05, 2017

By Dr. Dominic Reisig

Sugarcane aphid was first reported on Johnston grass in the northernmost area of NC during May (click here for article). So it’s no surprise that it has been found on sorghum in both Cleveland and Washington counties this July. Infestations that I saw today in Washington county were at very low levels (see photo) and there were lots of good biological control insects in the field (lacewings and ladybird beetles). Biological control or insecticidal seed treatments will help slow the start of infestations and, in some cases, can keep populations in check to avoid insecticidal treatment. States to our south have reported lower infestation levels compared to previous years and it’s a good idea to wait to treat and use published thresholds (listed below). If thresholds are reached, both Sivanto Prime and Transform are labeled for use in grain sorghum.

Growth Stage	Threshold
Pre-boot	20% infested plants with localized area of honeydew and established aphid colonies
Boot	20% infested plants with localized area of honeydew and established aphid colonies
Flowering-milk	30% infested plants with localized area of honeydew and established aphid colonies
Soft dough	30% infested plants with localized area of honeydew and established aphid colonies
Dough	30% infested plants with localized area of honeydew and established aphid colonies
Black layer	Heavy honeydew and established aphid colonies in head (treat to avoid problems at harvest)

Source: ncsu.edu

Video: SaskAgToday.com Roundtable: China hits Canada with canola seed tariffs

The big story this week was China placing a 75.8 per cent anti-dumping duty on Canadian canola seed imports.

While China claims the duty is temporary - pending the conclusion of its anti-dumping investigation into Canadian canola next month - many are calling on the federal government to take the lead and get the tariffs removed. The SaskAgToday.com Roundtable discusses what farm groups, and politicians, have been saying.

Also, the panel highlights a grand opening of Grain Millers flax processing facility, limited harvest progress in Saskatchewan due to widespread rain, and the Grain Growers of Canada on its second annual Summer Tour.