BREAUX BRIDGE, La. (TWILA) — A relatively new pest is creating challenges for Louisiana sugarcane growers as harvest approaches.
TWILA’s Neil Melancon reports the pasture mealybug has been a problem this year, with lodged sugarcane making it harder to scout fields and determine the extent of infestations.
The industry recently received emergency approval for an insecticide not normally used on sugarcane. Some growers have already sprayed multiple times, but questions remain about the pest’s potential impact on the crop.
Sugarcane harvest is expected to begin later this month and can continue into January.
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