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Research Project: Innovative Technologies to Control Invasive Species that Impact Livestock

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Title: Insect pests and diseases in bioenergy crops

Author
item REAGAN, T - Louisiana State University
item WILSON, L - Texas A&M University
item BEUZELIN, J - Louisiana State University
item WAY, M - Texas A&M University
item HOY, J - Louisiana State University
item YANG, Y - Texas A&M University
item Showler, Allan
item VANWEELDEN, M - Louisiana State University
item WILSON, B - Louisiana State University

Submitted to: Louisiana Agriculture
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/12/2015
Publication Date: 5/28/2015
Citation: Reagan, T.E., Wilson, L.T., Beuzelin, J.M., Way, M.O., Hoy, J., Yang, Y., Showler, A., Vanweelden, M., Wilson, B.E. 2015. Insect pests and diseases in bioenergy crops. Louisiana Agriculture. 58:24-25.

Interpretive Summary: Louisiana sugarcane and other grassy crops that include sorghum and hybrids involving other grasses such as sudangrass with potential for bioenergy production are susceptible to two important stalk boring pests: the sugarcane borer and the Mexican rice borer. The sugarcane aphid can infest sugarcane in large populations that transmit sugarcane yellow leaf virus. The virus has increased from infecting 2% of stalks in 2011 to 18% of stalks in 2014. Other pest problems associated with sugarcane and other grassy plant species that might be used to produce energy include grass mites and stalk rot. These pests and diseases of potential bioenergy crops are anticipated to have wide-ranging effects on Louisiana agriculture.

Technical Abstract: Louisiana sugarcane, Saccharum spp., and other grassy crops (e.g., grain sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, and hybrids involving sugarcane; sorghum; sudangrass, Sorghum bicolor ssp. drummondii (Nees ex Steud.) de Wet and Harlan, and others) with potential for bioenergy production are susceptible to two economically important stalk boring pests: the sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (F.), and a more recent introduction, the Mexican rice borer, Eoreuma loftini (Dyar). The sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner), can occur as explosive populations that transmit sugarcane yellow leaf virus; from 2011 to 2014, the incidence of the sugarcane yellow leaf virus has increased from 2% to 18%. Other pest problems associated with sugarcane and other grassy plant species that can potentially be used to produce energy include grass mites, Oligonychus pratensis, and stalk rot caused by Fusarium spp. Because of overlap in insect and disease pests of sugarcane, grain sorghum, and crops produced for biofuels, expanded production of bioenergy crops is anticipated to have wide-ranging effects on Louisiana agriculture.