Injured plants typically exhibit vshaped yellowing of the leaf tips hopperburn. Potato leafhopper emposaca fabae, plh is native to eastern north america and is found on apple, pear, grape, potato, strawberry, soybean, alfalfa, and many other field crops, as well as some forest trees. The potato leafhopper, empoasca fabae harris, feeds on legumaceous plants like alfalfa, as well as on apple, birch, chestnut, maples, and others. Host plants this leafhopper feeds on more than 100 cultivated and wild plants, including bean, potato, alfalfa, soybean, and peanut. The grape leafhopper erythroneura is a slender yellowcoloured insect with red markings and is about 3 mm long. Adults are greenish white, 1 3 inch 8mm long, and have a wedge shape when viewed from above. Potato leafhopper adults are already present in all alfalfa fields we checked over the past week. It is found on the grapevine, virginia creeper, and apple tree and is controlled by spraying or dusting. Nymphs of the beet leafhopper circulifer tenellus, are pale yellowish green. The adults will return when the regrowth is about 4 to 6 tall. Unlike aphids, leafhoppers have a simple life cycle in which the egg hatches to a nymph, which feeds by sucking plant. Description the potato leafhopper, empoasca fabae, is perhaps the most abundant insect pest in new york state alfalfa fields. Large numbers migrate northward from the gulf states each spring.
Adults of the beet leafhopper are about 18 inch in length and gray to greenish yellow in color. The use of glandularhaired alfalfa varieties can significantly reduce yield losses. Though its host range extends to over 100 plants including alfalfa, soybean, beans, apples, potatoes, and grapes, the potato leafhopper causes the most significant amount of injury to alfalfa and clover. Adults are very active, jumping, flying or running when disturbed. They run forward, backward or sideways when disturbed. The potato leafhopper is an important insect pest of alfalfa, fruits, and vegetables.
Among entomologists, the leafhopper ranks third as the most important insect pest in. Although the potato leafhopper does not overwinter in northern areas, it may complete several generations in these areas. Potato leafhoppers insert their eggs into plant stems. Managing potato leafhoppers in alfalfa integrated crop. The adult potato leafhopper is a tiny, yellowishgreen, wedgeshaped insect, about 18 inch 3 mm long. The body is widest at the head and tapers toward the wing tips.
Entomology image gallery cicadas and leafhoppers leafhoppers potato leafhopper. This leafhopper adult is bright, limey green and about 18 inches long 3 mm. Temperature, plantgrowth stage, and insect population effects on seedling survival of resistant and susceptible alfalfa infested with potato leafhopper. The nymphal stages closely resemble the adult except that. Leafhoppers, also known as hoppers, are minute plantfeeding insects in the superfamily cicadelloidea in the homopterous division of the order hemiptera.
They feed on weeds during the early spring, and then adults fly into alfalfa fields where several generations may be completed during the rest of the growing season. When the density of hairs exceeded 3 per mm2, no feeding damage was observed. As the insects molt from one instar to the next, they leave behind white cast skins. More than 70 percent of alfalfa is now resistant to potato leafhopper. Leafhoppers and planthoppers missouri botanical garden.
Beet leafhopper circulifer tenellus other leafhoppers empoasca spp. The head has short antennae, big, white eyes, and six white spots behind the eyes. Potato leafhoppers are primarily pests of alfalfa although they feed on a number of other crops, including potato, green beans, dry beans, and soybeans. Leafhoppers, also known as hoppers, are minute plant feeding insects in the superfamily cicadelloidea in.
The potato leafhopper, empoasca fabae, is a member of the leafhopper family cicadellidae and order hemiptera. Its short life cycle permits up to 10 generations per year. Identification and life cycleseasonal history the potato leafhopper, empoasca fabae harris, occasionally damages alfalfa in our area. Harvesting will kill a high percentage of potato leafhopper nymphs and some adults. Damage nationwide, the potato leafhopper is a very injurious pest of forages, particularly alfalfa and clover. Adults are wedge shaped with wings held folded and arched over their back. Experiments showed that as the density of hairs on leaf veins increased, the potato leafhopper damage decreased. A leafhopper is the common name for any species from the family cicadellidae. General morphology of leafhopper nymphs of the subfamily deltocephalinae hemiptera.
These leafhoppers often excrete dark spots like lace bugs and some thrips or plant bugs. Note that aster leafhopper adults are a more drab olive green in contrast to the light green of potato leafhopper adults. Those of the intermountain potato leafhopper empoasca. These are pests throughout the us midwest and southern canada. The potato leafhopper is generally distributed northward by wind. The potato leafhopper adult is highly mobile, wedgedshaped, green in color, and about 18 inch 3 mm long.
Other leafhoppers cause browning, stunting, withering, and curling of leaves, which is often called hopper burn. Leafhoppers are common and abundant insects worldwide. Empoasca fabae belongs to family cicadellidae and genus empoasca within order hemiptera. Species that are significant agricultural pests include the potato leafhopper, beet leafhopper, white apple. The potato leafhopper empoasca fabae is a destructive potato pest that causes that plants leaves to. These minute insects, colloquially known as hoppers, are plant feeders that suck plant sap from grass, shrubs, or trees.
It is potentially the most damaging of the alfalfa pests because of the debilitating effect of its feeding on newly established alfalfa stands and stunting of regrowth alfalfa. This is earlier than usual for these pests as they typically dont migrate into the state for another month, between the 2 nd and 3 rd cutting. The entire life cycle takes about a month, there are three or four generations in kentucky each year. Population dynamics and management of potato leafhopper and. Potato leafhopper, empoasca fabae, is a migratory pest of many crops. Potato leafhopper populations are very active throughout north central kansas. Potato leafhopper nymphs take about 25 days to pass through five life stages, each larger than the previous stage.
The potato leafhoppers toxic saliva causes considerably more damage in orchards. Species in the genus, erythroneura, feed on sycamore leaves, but also on apple, grape and willow. The tiny nymphs emerge from these eggs in a 7 to 10 days, they reach the adult stage about two weeks later. They undergo a partial metamorphosis, and have various host associations, varying from. Pest description and crop damage the most important leafhopper for. The life cycle of leafhoppers is an incomplete metamorphosis as they. It feeds on leaves of rapidly growing apple terminals and may aid in spread of fire blight. Every year millions of dollars are lost from reduced crop yields and on pest management. The potato leafhopper empoasca fabae is a destructive potato pest that causes that plants leaves to turn brown and curl.
Other articles where potato leafhopper is discussed. Myerslopiidae, with only two genera, and the enormous family cicadellidae, which, with more than 22,000 described species and 2600 genera, ranks among the 10 largest insect families. Potato leafhopper develops throughout the year in the southern united states near the gulf of mexico, and migrates northward each growing season rather than overwintering in northern states. Numerous species of leafhoppers and planthoppers are found in missouri, and many of them have a broad host list for example, the potato leafhopper, empoasca fabae, has over 100 host plants. Potato leafhopper ct integrated pest management program. The adult potato leafhopper is winged, pale green, wedgeshaped insect about 18inch long. Potato leafhoppers do not survive the winter in kentucky. Program and book of abstracts of 2nd european hemiptera congress, slovenia, fiesa, 2024 june 2001.
Chapter 4 leafhopper and psyllid pests of potato adult aster leafhoppers are small, measuring about 3. Note potato leafhopper resistance may vary based on synthetic generation of seed used. The body is wedgelike with a broad head and a tapered abdomen fig. Leafhoppers are one of the most abundant groups of plant feeding insects in the world with leafhopper and planthopper species outnumbering that of all species of birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians combined. There are small nymphs, many adults, and the adults seem to still be migrating into the fields. Recent classification within the hemiptera has changed the old term homoptera into two new suborders. Sweep samples, beginning 5 to 7 days after harvest, will determine whether or not a treatment is necessary.
Potato leafhopper is a consistently important pest in central and eastern north america. Potato leafhopper plh link to photos in folder is thought to be a native species. Adult potato leafhoppers are green with white spots on. The appearance of potato leafhopper is therefore less predictable because its migration is dependent upon the jet stream and other weather patterns. Adults are repelled by plant hairs, and nymphs get caught in the sticky hairs and starve. Empoasca genus leafhoppers can injure the vascular system, which results in hopperburn. Potato leafhopper is primarily a pest of potatoes and snap or dry beans, but also can affect eggplant and other vegetables, raspberries, apple and other fruits as well as field crops including alfalfa, cowpea. Some of these populations already exceed the treatment threshold with just adults, so hatching nymphs. There are many insects under the umbrella term of leafhoppers of which the two that are economically important to potato growers are the aster leafhopper macrosteles quadrillineatus and the potato leafhopper empoasca fabae. Leafhoppers range in size up to about 10 mm long and have five nymphal instars.
The immature forms, or nymphs, are pale green and wingless. Host plants the potato leafhopper feeds on a variety of plant species and. Consequently they can remain unnoticed until the plants show hopperburn. Both orius insidiosus anthocoridae and reduviolus americoferus were able to locate and feed on potato leafhopper eggs on broad bean, vicia faba. Potato leafhopper is here june, 1998 potato leafhopper management in alfalfa june, 1999. Soybeans are rarely damaged by potato leafhopper feeding because hairs on leaves and stems provide a level of protection. Orchardgrass has a life cycle that matches well with alfalfas and exhibits consistent growth. Several leafhoppers just eat the upper cell layers of the leaf mesophyll, parenchyma, where they leave white flecking wounds. The front margin of the prothorax is usually marked with six white spots. The pale green to yellow nymphs, are wingless, smaller than the adults, and very quick. Nymphs of leafhoppers of the subfamily deltocephalinae homoptera, cicadellidae. Both potato leafhopper adults and nymphs may cause injury to plants. Shade department of entomology purdue university, west lafayette, in 47907. Orius appeared to be a more efficient egg predator than the nabid species.
Each can deposit 2 or 3 tiny white eggs a day in the stems and large leaf veins of the plant. Leafhoppers can be direct pests, such as the potato leafhopper, empoasca fabae, or indirect pests transmitting phloemlimited bacteria such as. Potato leafhopper rufus isaacs, msu entomology home scouting guide potato leafhopper the adult leafhopper is pale to bright green and about 18 inch long. Many species are host specific with their names indicating their preferred host. Sternorryncha aphids, whiteflies, scales, psyllids. Small 18inch long, yellowgreen, wedgeshaped insects that move sideways, jump or fly when disturbed. Their hind legs are modified for jumping, and are covered with hairs that facilitate the spreading of a secretion over their bodies that acts as a water repellent and carrier of pheromones. In north carolina, peanuts are more seriously affected by this pest than are forage and pasture crops. Crops that are impacted the most are potatoes, clover, beans, apples and alfalfa. In north america they are a serious agricultural pest. It feeds on developing leaves and overwinters among fallen grape leaves.
It overwinters on legumes in the gulf states and disperses to northern states on wind currents annually. The potato leafhopper feeds on more than 100 cultivated and wild plants including. Only the last three instars possess visible wing pads, which become wings in the adult. They feed on foliage and shoots of many different plant species by.