Imidacloprid 70 SW as a seed dress for sorghum was highly effective in reducing the shootfly damage (14%) and increasing grain yield compared to soil application of carbofuran granules (40%) and untreated check (84%) in three successive field trials during 1991-92 at Dharwad. The grain yield in the respective treatments was 25.0, 18.8 and 7.0 q/ha. Thus, the seed dress with imidacloprid resulted in 33% increase in yield over recommended practice of soil application of carbofuran granules and 350% increase over untreated check. Imidacloprid also increased germination percentage, seedling vigour, shoot and root length.