Effects of biological insecticides on the sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), in sorghum

Melanaphis sacchari (Zehntner) is a major pest of sorghum, Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench, in the United States and neighboring Caribbean countries including Haiti. Laboratory, greenhouse, field experiments were conducted to determine effects biological insecticides on M. infesting sorghum. Azadirachtin, pyrethrins, Beauveria bassiana strain GHA, Isaria fumosorosea Apopka 97, Chromobacterium subtsugae PRAA4-1T, Burkholderia spp. A396, vetiver oil compared conventional insecticide, flupyradifurone. In laboratory, sorghum leaf discs sprayed with treatment solutions subsequently infested nymphs. potted plants before or after infestation field, plots exposed natural infestations solutions. All insecticide treatments except I. associated 58–100% aphid mortality 72 h which was greater than 20% observed non-treated control. azadirachtin pyrethrins lowest levels 7 days treatment. Flupyradifurone greatest laboratory greenhouse. decreases relative control not although flupyradifurone consistently infestations. Our results suggest that azadirachtin, B. could potentially if applied under favorable environmental conditions.