Location: Peanut and Small Grains Research Unit
Project Number: 3070-22000-017-003-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Sep 15, 2016
End Date: Sep 14, 2022
Objective:
The objective of this project is to demonstrate that widespread planting of sugarcane aphid resistant cultivars in a major sorghum growing area of the Texas Coastal Plains will reduce aphid numbers and migration, and increase biocontrol.
Approach:
Several commercially available hybrids have been shown to have a sufficient degree of resistance to sugarcane aphid for use in the sugarcane aphid AWPM program. Participating growers in the demonstration site will plant resistant varieties over enough acres to reduce sugarcane aphid infestation pressure. We will monitor infestations in fields of susceptible and resistant sorghum in each area throughout the growing season. In addition, at selected farms in each demonstration site, we will utilize replicated large-plot experimental designs to quantify the agronomic/economic benefits of planting locally adapted sugarcane aphid-resistant varieties. In addition to measuring sugarcane aphid population dynamics in fields we will measure the extent and timing of winged sugarcane aphid migration from fields in relation to plant phenology, sugarcane aphid population density, and weather. A focus will be on how sugarcane aphid resistant varieties impact biocontrol of sugarcane aphid by natural enemies. Field dynamics, natural enemies will be monitored in AWPM demonstration sorghum fields. We will quantify natural enemy densities and sugarcane aphid mortality for resistant and susceptible sorghum for the purpose of demonstrating effects of the sugarcane aphid AWPM program on biocontrol.
