1. Course on Insect Pests of Sorghum
Module III: Stem Pests
Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics
Lesson 1: Sorghum Shoot Fly
The adult of shoot fly is a small, gray colored fly and looks like a house fly (Fig.).
Shoot fly deposits small (2 mm) white, cigar-shaped eggs, singly on the undersurface of the leaf.
Shoot Fly Adult
Shoot Fly Eggs
Course on Insect Pests of Sorghum

2. The larval period lasts for 8-10 days.
After hatching in 2-3 days, the maggot (Fig.) enters the plant through the whorl and destroy the growing point.
The larval period lasts for 8-10 days.
Shoot Fly Maggot

3. Crop damage
As a result of larval feeding, the central leaf wilts and later dries up, giving the typical deadheart symptom (Fig.).
Deadheart in sorghum

4. The young whitish yellow maggot feeds only on the decaying tissue.
Crop damage
The deadheart can be easily pulled out and, at the base, emits a bad smell.
The young whitish yellow maggot feeds only on the decaying tissue.
Crop Damage

5. Side tillers due to shoot fly attack
Crop damage
Normally the damage occurs from 1 week to about 1 month after crop emergence.
If the attack occurs a little later, plants may produce side tillers that may also be attacked (Fig.).
Late sowing during the rainy season increases the likelihood of attack.
Side tillers due to shoot fly attack

6. Management
Shoot fly infestation can be avoided by early sowing to avoid the active period of shoot fly population.
If the sowings are completed within 7-10 days of the onset of the monsoon rains, the crop can escape from shoot fly infestation.
In the rabi season, sowing between September end to October first week relatively reduces the shoot fly infestation.

7. Management
If early sowing could not be carried out, then use high seed rate.
While thinning the crop, remove the seedlings with deadhearts and keep the optimum plant stand in the field.
Select and grow resistant varieties, if delayed sowing is unavoidable.

8. So, pulling out such plants can avoid later problem from shoot fly.
Management
During the off-season, the shoot fly survives on volunteer or fodder sorghums, and also on weeds like barnyard grass.
So, pulling out such plants can avoid later problem from shoot fly.
Barnyard Grass Weed

9. Management
Under late plantings, control the shoot fly by the application of either Carbofuran 3 g or Phorate 10G at 20 kg/ha at the time of planting in the seed furrows.
Alternatively, shoot fly damage can be minimized by spraying with Endosulfan 35 EC using 2mL in 1L water/ha at 7 and 14 days after the emergence of seedlings.

10. Course on Insect Pests of Sorghum
Module III: Stem Pests
Virtual Academy for the Semi Arid Tropics
This Lesson on Shoot Fly concludes.
The Lesson 2 in this Module is about Spotted Stem Borer that affects sorghum crop.
Select Lesson 2 from Module III contents
Course on Insect Pests of Sorghum