Commissioner Sid Miller and the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) issued a press release asking ranchers, hay producers and landowners to watch for signs of pasture mealybug infestations on their crops and land after the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension confirmed cases in 70 counties.
The confirmed impact area spans from the upper Rio Grande Valley, through Central and Southeast Texas, to the Louisiana border.
Immature pasture mealybugs attack forage that cattle and other grazing animals depend upon at the soil’s surface, extracting plant saps and injecting toxins that lead to pasture dieback.
Mealybug is said to spread primarily by hitchhiking on contaminated vehicles, farm equipment and clothing, or by prevailing winds that can carry immature mealybugs across fields.
Texas AgriLife researchers currently estimate that mealybug threatens more than 20 million acres of pasture and rangeland, and that the figure could climb to 36 million acres if the pest were to become established in the 56 counties now considered at risk for invasion.
“Early detection is out best defense. The sooner we identify new infestations, the better chance we have to slow the pest’s spread and protect the pastures our animals depend on,” said Miller. “We’re working closely with Texas A&M AgriLife to make sure ranchers and landowners have the latest information to recognize infestations early.” As of now, no pesticides are proven to be consistently effective against pasture mealybug; however, federal and state agencies continue collaborating to find management options.
According to Miller and the TDA’s press release, producers should be watching for yellow, purple or red foliage; poor root growth or dryback beginning at leaf tips; and fuzze white insects on grass blades, stems, soil surfaces or beneath plant debris and cow patties.
They also stated that scouting pastures and hayfields regularly; managing pastures through grazing or hay harvest; and cleaning equipment and vehicles before moving between fields can help prevent spread.
Producers suspecting infestations can report their suspicions to the TDA or contact local Texas A&M AgriLife Extension offices for identification assistance and management recommendations.