IPM for Sustainable SugarcaneIPM for Sustainable SugarcaneProduction in FloridaProduction in Florida

Gregg NuesslyGregg NuesslyEverglades REC-IFASEverglades REC-IFAS

Belle GladeBelle Glade

440,000 acres440,000 acres

IPM of Florida SugarcaneIPM of Florida SugarcaneInsect PestsInsect Pests

Grouped by Plant Damage:Grouped by Plant Damage:

Roots, Seed Pieces, TillersRoots, Seed Pieces, TillersStalksStalks

FoliageFoliage

Insect Pests of SugarcaneInsect Pests of SugarcaneRoots, Seed Pieces, ShootsRoots, Seed Pieces, Shoots

Sugarcane grubSugarcane grub- root feeder- root feeder

Corn wirewormCorn wireworm- root, shoot feeder- root, shoot feeder

Lesser cornstalk borer (LCB)Lesser cornstalk borer (LCB)- shoot feeder- shoot feeder

Sugarcane grubSugarcane grub

Root feeding causesRoot feeding causes - reduced vigor- reduced vigor - lodging in storms- lodging in storms - stool dislodging- stool dislodging during harvestduring harvest

LarvaLarva

AdultAdult

Corn wirewormCorn wirewormShoot and seed piece feeding Shoot and seed piece feeding causescauses - dead heart &- dead heart & stand lossstand loss

LarvaLarva AdultAdult

Lesser cornstalk borerLesser cornstalk borerShoot feeding causesShoot feeding causes

- dead heart - dead heart & stand loss& stand loss

LarvaeLarvae AdultsAdults

LesserLessercornstalk borercornstalk borerdamagedamage

Rows Rows ofofholesholes

DeadDeadshootsshoots

FeedingFeedingtubetube

New New shootshoot

IPM for Pests of Roots, IPM for Pests of Roots, Seed Pieces and ShootsSeed Pieces and Shoots

*Cultural Control*Cultural Control - Disking & cultivating- Disking & cultivating - kills and exposes them- kills and exposes them to natural enemiesto natural enemies - Flooding and rotation (Rice)- Flooding and rotation (Rice) - soil type, season & duration- soil type, season & duration

IPM for Pests of Roots, IPM for Pests of Roots, Seed Pieces and ShootsSeed Pieces and Shoots*Cultural Control*Cultural Control - Weed control in fallow fields- Weed control in fallow fields reduces Summer egg reduces Summer egg deposits by wireworm adultsdeposits by wireworm adults

IPM for Pests of Roots, IPM for Pests of Roots, Seed Pieces and ShootsSeed Pieces and Shoots*Chemical Control*Chemical Control- At plant treatment for grubs - At plant treatment for grubs and wireworms directed into and wireworms directed into furrows when flooding or furrows when flooding or rice rotation is not possiblerice rotation is not possible- Post emergence for LCB- Post emergence for LCB

Insect Pests of SugarcaneInsect Pests of SugarcaneStalksStalks

Sugarcane borerSugarcane borer - leaves, mid to upper stalks- leaves, mid to upper stalksWest Indian sugarcane weevilWest Indian sugarcane weevil - lower stalks- lower stalks

Sugarcane borerSugarcane borerStalk feeding causesStalk feeding causes- breaking, microbial- breaking, microbialrot of stalk, reducedrot of stalk, reducedyieldyield

LarvaLarva

AdultAdult

West Indian sugarcane weevilWest Indian sugarcane weevil

LarvaLarva AdultAdult

Stalk feeding causes broken stalks, Stalk feeding causes broken stalks, microbial rot of stalks, increased rat microbial rot of stalks, increased rat damage, yield lossdamage, yield loss

WestWestIndianIndiansugarcanesugarcaneweevilweevildamagedamage

IPM for Pests of StalksIPM for Pests of Stalks

*Biological control*Biological control- - Cotesia flavipes,Cotesia flavipes, parasitoid of parasitoid of sugarcane borer released sugarcane borer released in 1960’sin 1960’s- Research by Dr. David Hall,- Research by Dr. David Hall, U.S.Sugar Corp., led to cultureU.S.Sugar Corp., led to culture and mass production of waspsand mass production of wasps

Biological control of Biological control of sugarcane borersugarcane borerCotesia flavipesCotesia flavipesLarvaeLarvae

AdultAdult

IPM for Pests of StalksIPM for Pests of Stalks*Economic threshold used to *Economic threshold used to initiate treatmentsinitiate treatments- Fields scouted for damage- Fields scouted for damage- Sugarcane borer larvae - Sugarcane borer larvae examined for parasitismexamined for parasitism- - CotesiaCotesia wasps released in wasps released in fields as needed to augmentfields as needed to augment natural levels of parasitismnatural levels of parasitism

IPM for Pests of StalksIPM for Pests of Stalks

*Host plant resistance*Host plant resistance - Breeding programs - Breeding programs (public and private) select(public and private) select for clones resistant to insects for clones resistant to insects and diseasesand diseases - Some clones much more - Some clones much more susceptible to stalk pestssusceptible to stalk pests

IPM for Pests of StalksIPM for Pests of Stalks

*Chemical control*Chemical control- Insecticides applied by air- Insecticides applied by airwhen late season damage is when late season damage is above thresholdabove threshold- Recent registration of selective- Recent registration of selectivematerial provides alternative thatmaterial provides alternative thatpreserves natural enemy complexpreserves natural enemy complex

Insect Pests of SugarcaneInsect Pests of SugarcaneFoliageFoliage

Sucking insect pestsSucking insect pests - Yellow sugarcane aphid- Yellow sugarcane aphid - White sugarcane aphid- White sugarcane aphid - Sugarcane lace bug- Sugarcane lace bugChewing insect pestsChewing insect pests - Armyworms- Armyworms - Cutworms- Cutworms

Yellow sugarcane aphidYellow sugarcane aphid

Yellow sugarcane aphidYellow sugarcane aphid

Late seasonLate season

Early seasonEarly season

Prolonged feeding leads to reducedProlonged feeding leads to reducedstalk diameter and yield lossstalk diameter and yield loss

Sugar per 8 ft Stalk

0.355

0.388 0.391

0.383

0.412

0.436

0.340

0.350

0.360

0.370

0.380

0.390

0.400

0.410

0.420

0.430

0.440

0.450

0 1 2 3 4 5

Leaves below TVD >50% green

- 6%

- 10 to 12%

-19%

Yield loss from yellow sugarcane aphidYield loss from yellow sugarcane aphid

White sugarcane aphidWhite sugarcane aphid

White sugarcane aphidWhite sugarcane aphid

Honeydew deposits and sootyHoneydew deposits and sootymold fungus, but no lossesmold fungus, but no losses

Sugarcane lace bugSugarcane lace bug

Leaf feeding results in yellow andred discoloration, large populationscan lead to premature leaf death

IPM for Pests of FoliageIPM for Pests of FoliageNatural biological control agents Natural biological control agents often keep populations below often keep populations below damage threshold and respond damage threshold and respond to outbreaksto outbreaks - Ants (incl. red imported- Ants (incl. red imported fire ants), earwigs, beetles, fire ants), earwigs, beetles, flower flies and spidersflower flies and spiders

Aphid predatorsAphid predators

Doru taeniatumDoru taeniatum

Diomus terminatusDiomus terminatus

Coelophora Coelophora inaequalisinaequalis

Cycloneda Cycloneda sanguineasanguinea

Harmonia Harmonia axyridisaxyridis

Hippodamia Hippodamia convergensconvergens

Olla Olla v-nigrumv-nigrum

Aphid predatorsAphid predators

IPM for Pests of FoliageIPM for Pests of Foliage

*Host plant resistance*Host plant resistance- - Yellow sugarcane aphidsYellow sugarcane aphidscolonize and damage only smallcolonize and damage only smallsubset of clonessubset of clones- Stage 3 clones now being - Stage 3 clones now being evaluated for resistanceevaluated for resistance

IPM for Pests of FoliageIPM for Pests of Foliage

*Chemical control*Chemical control

Broad spectrum insecticidesBroad spectrum insecticidesused as last resort to preventused as last resort to preventor minimize losses from foliageor minimize losses from foliagepestspests

SummarySummary- Insect pests of roots, seed pieces, - Insect pests of roots, seed pieces, shoots & foliageshoots & foliage- IPM in Sugarcane includes:- IPM in Sugarcane includes:cultural (incl. flooding & rotation),cultural (incl. flooding & rotation),chemical and biological controls, chemical and biological controls, scouting using treatment scouting using treatment thresholds, breeding program forthresholds, breeding program forhost plant resistancehost plant resistance

SummarySummary

- Natural and augmentative biological- Natural and augmentative biologicalcontrol agents important for control agents important for maintaining insect populations under maintaining insect populations under economic thresholdseconomic thresholds