University of Florida researchers have secured $200,000 in federal funding to study how the invasive pasture mealybug affects Florida sugarcane and how growers can manage the pest.

In a release this week, UF/IFAS officials said the two-year award is part of a federal grant supporting research in Florida and Louisiana, the only states that produce sugarcane in the United States.

UF/IFAS researchers at the Everglades Research and Education Center in Belle Glade are working with Louisiana State University on the project.

“If left unmanaged, pasture mealybug has the potential to destroy an entire sugarcane field,” said Julien Beuzelin, an associate professor of entomology at the center.

Beuzelin said the amount of damage can vary, but infestations can cause substantial yield losses.

Research will examine damage and control options

Pasture mealybugs feed on sugarcane and other grasses, causing leaves to turn yellow. Researchers will study how infestations relate to leaf yellowing and crop yields, which could help growers determine when action is needed.

The release shows researchers have three primary objectives:

• Determine how pasture mealybug infestations affect leaf yellowing and crop yield, helping growers identify when management is needed
• Evaluate insecticides and application methods to determine how effectively they reduce pasture mealybug populations
• Assess commercial and experimental sugarcane varieties to identify plants with greater tolerance or resistance to the pest, to potentially reduce their reliance on insecticides

The findings are intended to help researchers develop practical, science-based recommendations for growers while the pest’s impact on Florida’s sugarcane industry remains uncertain.

UF/IFAS Extension will share results with growers through meetings, newsletters, workshops and other outreach.