Dennis Hancock, UGA State Forage Extension Specialist
Have you noticed bronzing on your bermudagrass? It may appear as drought or frost-damaged fields, but it could also be the bermudagrass stem maggot.
Since the first appearance in Georgia in 2010, producers have been wondering how to combat this pest. If this includes you, check out UGA’s most up-to-date recommendations in the new guide Managing Bermudagrass Stem Maggots!
This new management guide walks the reader through the problems associated with the bermudagrass stem maggot, how it damages the crop, and what can be done about it. This exotic, invasive insect pest reduces yields by more than 50% in some varieties late in the season. Managing bermudagrass stem maggots is crucial to maintaining economical bermudagrass forage production in the Southeast.
Varieties of bermudagrass differ in the amount of yield loss typical observed in harvests made after the second cutting.
*Range observed in yield trials comparing treated and untreated plots.
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