Pest Management for Warm Season Annual Grasses

It is important to prevent yield damage from pests. Though options are limited for weed control in summer annual grasses, pearl millet and the sorghums are typically fast growing and competitive with weeds. However, insect damage to summer annual grasses can be very problematic. For example, chinch bugs often limit yields during a drought year and reportedly are more severe when the summer annuals are planted into small grain stubble. Additional details on weed control options and treatment thresholds for insect pressure are presented in the Georgia Pest Management Handbook’s section on Temporary Grazing.

Dr. Dennis Hancock
Forage Extension Specialist
Crop & Soil Sciences Dept.