The Texas A&M Center for Grazinglands and Ranch Management received about $1 million in grants from the National Grazing Lands Coalition, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Today. The projects focus on early detection and management of the invasive pasture mealybug and on expanding technical assistance to U.S. ranchers.
AgriLife Research's Ranch Diagnostics Laboratory will lead the two-year project. It plans to work with producers statewide and to support grazing management choices such as targeted grazing, prescribed fire and integrated pest management.
Jeff Goodwin, director of the center, said pasture mealybug damage closely resembles drought stress, so infestations can go undetected until losses are severe. The project will conduct producer needs assessments, grazing land health appraisals and demonstration sites.