The EPA has granted our request for an emergency exemption, allowing the use of Sivanto prime in sweet sorghum for the control of sugarcane aphids.  The section 18 label allows for use up to 10.5 oz/acre in a single application. However, testing in grain sorghum indicates 4-5 oz/acre provides excellent control. Application restrictions are listed below. I am not aware of any treatable infestations of this aphid at this time. If recent history repeats itself, sugarcane aphids will begin showing up sometime in July. Frequent scouting is needed once it is detected as populations can blow up quickly. Infestations are initially worse on field edges, so that is the first place to start looking.

I suggest using the same threshold as in grain sorghum. Current recommendations are to treat when aphids are present on 30 percent or more of plants and occasional leaves have 100 or more aphids present. Treatment should also be considered if honeydew is present in multiple spots throughout a field and aphid populations are increasing. However, you may have to adjust your strategy depending on your treatment capabilities and ability to get good coverage. Being a little early is better than being late.

Foliar Application Restrictions:

• Pre-Harvest Interval (PHI): 21 days
• Minimum interval between applications: 7 days
• Minimum application volumes: 10 gallons/Acre (Ground); 2 gallons/Acre (Aerial)
• Maximum applications per year: 4
• Maximum SIVANTO prime allowed per year: 28.0 fluid ounces/Acre (0.365 lb AI/Acre).