University of Florida researchers have secured $200,000 in federal funding to combat the invasive pasture mealybug, an emerging threat to Florida’s sugarcane industry. The funding will give researchers the necessary funds to help growers protect their crops and reduce potential losses.

The two-year award is part of a $500,000 U.S. Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) grant supporting research efforts in Florida and Louisiana, the nation’s only sugarcane-producing states.

Researchers at UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) Everglades Research and Education Center (EREC) in Belle Glade will investigate how the pest damages sugarcane, evaluate insecticides for short-term use and identify sugarcane varieties less susceptible to the insect. The project is being conducted in collaboration with Louisiana State University to advance long-term management strategies for the U.S. sugarcane industry.

“If left unmanaged, pasture mealybug has the potential to destroy an entire sugarcane field,” said Julien Beuzelin, associate professor of entomology at EREC. “The level of damage can vary, but we know the pest can cause substantial yield losses, making it critical to understand how to manage infestations effectively.”

Beuzelin and De-Fen Mou, an assistant professor of entomology, are leading the UF/IFAS research team at EREC. Their work will help develop science-based recommendations for growers as researchers continue to assess the pest’s impact in Florida.

“If we don’t address this problem, it could affect sugarcane production in Florida and, ultimately, sugar production in the United States,” said Mou. “This will help us identify effective management strategies and give growers practical tools to respond to the pest. Ultimately, the goal is to provide actionable recommendations that growers can use to manage infestations and protect crop production.”

Pasture mealybugs feed on sugarcane and other grasses and cause pronounced yellowing of leaves. Researchers are working to understand how the insect population relates to the severity of plant damage and crop yields in sugarcane.

Although the extent of the pest’s impact on Florida’s sugarcane industry remains uncertain, researchers have observed a range of damage. The research has 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

UF/IFAS Extension will also share research findings through growers through meetings, newsletters, workshops and other outreach.