Chromatin’s sorghum hybrids demonstrate tolerance against sugarcane aphids

Chromatin, Inc. announced that several of its hybrid sorghum products under Sorghum Partners® brand have demonstrated tolerance against the sugarcane aphid pest.

 

Sugarcane aphids were initially detected near the end of the 2013 season in Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi, Louisiana, and parts of Mexico. This year the pest has continued to spread as far north as Kansas, and as far east as Florida. Growers have been actively searching for products that provide tolerance to this pest.
 

A third-party evaluation conducted by the Agricultural Research Service division of the USDA verified that several Sorghum Partners® brand sorghum hybrids exhibit strong tolerance to the sugarcane aphid pest. The use of SP6929, KS310, NK5418, and K73-J6 hybrids, as part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program, can effectively reduce the impact of a sugarcane aphid infestation.
 

“We leverage our expert knowledge of our sorghum products, as well as ongoing sorghum research at Chromatin, to help growers plan the best course of action for their operation,” said Scott Staggenborg, Chromatin’s Director of Product Portfolio and Technology Advancement. “It is important to plant sugarcane aphid tolerant hybrids as part of a comprehensive IPM program to mitigate the effects of this pest.”
 

“We are excited to offer our high-quality, sugarcane aphid tolerant hybrids to our customers,” said Mike Battin, Chromatin’s Director of National Sales. “Independent testing has confirmed that several of our hybrids demonstrated a high level of tolerance to this new pest which allows our growers to continue to enjoy the benefits of sorghum as part of their crop rotation.”