[Syrupmakers] Sugar Cane Aphid

[Forrest Moore]

Scott,

  Last year I grew three varieties of Sorghum ( Rox Orange, Mennonite and
Black Amber) that all became infested with Sugar Cane Aphids. Having never
experienced SCA's I contacted my county Mr. Kimball (Green Acres reference)
He told me that it was a problem throughout the Southeast and that the
government was giving an emergency release to use certain banned
insecticides and if I would like, he would help me with the process. I
informed him that I would just deal with the SCA's. I was prepared to plow
it all under but instead let nature run its course. Results: The Black
Amber quickly succumbed to the SCA's but the Rox Orange and Mennonite
survived and I was actually able to make syrup albeit reduced quantity.

This year there were no SCA's but there will be no Sorghum syrup here in
West central Georgia due to drought.

Forrest

On Sun, Oct 2, 2016 at 10:28 AM, Scott <scott at eldercomputersolutions.com>
wrote:

> I grow sweet sorghum cane in East Tennessee. This year I had a run in with
> sugar cane aphids. I grow organically so only spray I could use was neem
> oil. They hit first week of August. Last year I did not have any but i grew
> only 1 variety.  This year I grew 3 varieties.
>
>
> Questions I have for those with experience
> 1 - some varieties appeared to attract more than other varieties. Has
> anyone else had this?
>
> 2 - I planted early so crop would be more mature when they came through
> but I think I should plant later so sugar very low when they come through.
> Opinions?
>
> 3 - is it better to spray do a preventive spraying before they show up?
>
> Thanks for any advice and knowledge about this critter.
>
> Scott
>
>
> Sent from my iPhone
> _______________________________________________
> Syrupmakers mailing list
> Syrupmakers at syrupmakers.net
> http://syrupmakers.net/mailman/listinfo/syrupmakers_syrupmakers.net
>



-- 
Forrest Moore
Drahthaar vom Moorehaus
www.vommoorehaus.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://syrupmakers.net/pipermail/syrupmakers_syrupmakers.net/attachments/20161002/b16a593f/attachment-0001.html>