Melanaphis sorghi is a pest that is native to Africa but is now distributed worldwide. In 2013, its destructive capacity was demonstrated when it devastated sorghum crops in the United States and Mexico, making it a new pest of economic importance in North America. At the time, the phytosanitary authorities of both countries recommended the use of pesticides to control the outbreak, and biological control products for the management of this pest were not known. In response to the outbreak of M. sorghi in North America, several field studies have been performed in the last decade on sorghum crops in the USA and Mexico. Works have focused on assessing resistant sorghum hybrids, pesticide use, and recruitment of associated aphid predators and entomopathogens for natural control of M. sorghi populations. The objective of this review is to compile the information that has been generated in the past decade about indigenous enemies affecting M. sorghi naturally in the field, as well as the search for biological control alternatives and evaluations of interactive effects of resistant sorghum hybrids, pesticides, and natural enemies. To date, different predators, parasitoids, fungi, and bacteria have been evaluated and in many cases found to affect M. sorghi populations in sorghum agroecosystems or laboratory bioassays, and the use of resistant sorghum varieties and pesticides did not have clear toxic effects on natural enemy populations. Many of the macroorganisms and microorganisms that have been evaluated as potential biological controls have shown potential as alternatives to synthetic pesticides for keeping M. sorghi population densities below economic damage thresholds and are compatible with integrated management of sorghum aphids. While most tests of these biological alternatives have shown that they have aphidicidal potential against sorghum aphids, it is crucial to take into account that their effectiveness in the field depends on a number of abiotic and biotic factors, including soil texture, temperature, humidity, and natural enemies.

The sugarcane aphid, Melanaphis sorghi Theobald, 1904 (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is the most important pest of Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench (Poaceae), in Mexico. Control of M. sorghi depends primarily on synthetic chemical insecticides, but new alternatives have been explored, such as botanical insecticides. The objective of this research was to evaluate the aphidicide effect of the extract of nhexane and methanol from stems of Ceiba aesculifolia (Malvaceae) against apterous adults in M. sorghi in vitro. The results revealed that n-hexane extract of C. aesculifolia killed 78% and methanol extract 48% at 10,000 ppm in 72 hours. The positive check (imidacloprid) eliminated 100% of the aphids in 24 hours and the negative check (Tween 20) 4% in 72 hours. The Gas-Mass study of n-hexane extract of C. aesculifolia identified 12 chemical compounds, nonacosane being most (25.1%). The classical phytochemical tests of the methanol extract of C. aesculifolia were positive for alkaloids, tannins, saponins, anthracenes, triterpenes, and steroids. The extracts of C. aesculifolia had significant aphidicide effects and could be considered an alternative for controlling M. sorghi.

El áfido del sorgo, Melanaphis sorghi Theobald (Hemiptera: Aphididae), es la principal plaga del sorgo, Sorghum bicolor L. Moench (Poaceae), en México. Actualmente se están explorando nuevas alternativas para el control de este insecto, como extractos de plantas y moléculas de grado técnico. Evaluamos tres ácidos grasos (ácido cis-10-heptadecenoico, ácido palmítico y ácido docosanoico) y dos alcanos (pentadecano y octadecano) in vitro contra adultos ápteros de M. sorghi. Los resultados mostraron que el ácido palmítico presentó las tasas de mortalidad más altas (<72% con LC50= 2,003 ppm), seguido por el ácido docosanoico (<66% con LC50= 2,389 ppm) a 5,000 ppm después de 72 horas, mientras que el control con un insecticida comercial (Confial®, imidacloprid) logró 100% de control a las 24 horas. Por lo tanto, debido a la alta tasa de reproducción de los áfidos, los insecticidas técnicos utilizados en esta investigación representan una opción efectiva para el control de M. sorghi.

Gastrointestinal nematodes represent a major challenge to the health and productivity of small ruminants, particularly in the context of increasing resistance to conventional anthelmintic drugs. In this regard, medicinal plants are considered a potential source of compounds with antiparasitic activity. Cassia fistula L. (Fabaceae) is widely used in traditional medicine and contains anthraquinones, flavonoids, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, and other secondary metabolites. This narrative review summarizes the available information on its botanical characteristics, phytochemical composition, and anthelmintic potential against gastrointestinal nematodes of sheep and goats. A literature search was conducted in Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar for publications available up to August 2026. Studies addressing the phytochemical composition of C. fistula and its experimental anthelmintic activity against gastrointestinal nematodes of small ruminants were prioritized, while publications lacking relevant phytochemical or parasitological information were excluded. A total of 52 references were cited in the manuscript. Current studies report effects on egg hatching, larval development and migration, and adult survival; however, the experimental evidence remains limited and heterogeneous, with a predominance of in vitro assays and only a few in vivo studies. Differences in plant organs, extraction methods, concentrations, and parasite models make direct comparisons among studies difficult. Further research is therefore needed to standardize preparations, identify the metabolites responsible for the observed activity, and confirm their efficacy and safety in small ruminants.

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) is one of the most important cereal crops in Mexico due to its extensive cultivation and use in human nutrition, livestock production, and the biofuel industry. However, its productivity is severely affected by the sorghum aphid, Melanaphis sorghi Theobald, 1904 (Hemiptera: Aphididae), a major pest of this crop. Its control relies primarily on synthetic chemical insecticides, whose intensive use has led to environmental impacts and health risks, prompting the search for more sustainable alternatives. In this study, the insecticidal activity of root extracts from Bessera elegans was evaluated against apterous adults of M. sorghi using artificial diet bioassays at different concentrations and exposure times. Chemical characterization of the extracts and the active fraction was carried out using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The methanolic extract exhibited the lowest LC₅₀ value (2562 ppm), indicating the highest insecticidal potency, while the acetone extract achieved the highest maximum mortality (98%) at the highest tested concentration. Fractionation of the methanolic extract allowed the identification of fraction BeF1 as the most active, with 94% mortality at 1000 ppm. Chemical characterization indicated a predominance of polyphenolic secondary metabolites, mainly flavonoids and lignans. These results highlight the potential of B. elegans as a natural alternative for the integrated management of the sorghum aphid.