Pest Profile

Cutworm damage to sorghum is infrequent, but growers should be alert when early season cutworm damage has occurred in neighboring cornfields. Damage is likely in the two weeks after planting, so fields should be scouted during and shortly after emergence.

Rescue treatments should be considered if a majority of larvae are less than ½-inch long. Worms of this size can destroy four to six additional plants each before completing development. Older larvae are harder to kill and less is gained by controlling them because they have already caused most of their damage.