Journal of Entomological Science (2013) 48, 52-60

Ron Cherry, Yueguang Wang, Gregg Nuessly and Rick Raid (2013)
Effect of planting date and density on insect pests of sweet sorghum grown for biofuel in southern Florida
Journal of Entomological Science 48 (1), 52-60
Abstract: There is much research and resource currently being invested in sweet sorghum, Sorghum bicolor L. Moench, for biofuel in southern Florida. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of planting date and density on insect pests of the crop in southern Florida. Emergent damage was primarily caused by fall armyworms, Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith), and to a lesser extent by the lesser cornstalk borer, Elasmopalpus lignosellus Zeller. Damage at heading was caused by different species of stink bugs (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae). Both emergent damage and numbers of stink bugs at heading varied significantly between planting dates. Correlation analysis showed that planting density had no to little effect on percentage damage by insects to emerging or heading sweet sorghum. Estimated ethanol yield was highest in the first crop of the early planting and decreased thereafter. No consistent effect of planting density or row configuration on yield was shown.
(The abstract is excluded from the Creative Commons licence and has been copied with permission by the publisher.)
Link to article at publishers website

Research topic(s) for pests/diseases/weeds:
environment - cropping system/rotation

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Pest and/or beneficial records:

Beneficial	Pest/Disease/Weed	Crop/Product	Country	Quarant.
	Elasmopalpus lignosellus	Sorghum (crop)	U.S.A. (SE)
	Spodoptera frugiperda	Sorghum (crop)	U.S.A. (SE)