Taxonomy order: Hemiptera

Description: A small sap sucking insect that can effect maize at vegetative growth stages. Leafhoppers cause little direct economic detriment through sucking sap from the plants, however they can be a vector for virus that can stunt the growth of the plant. In maize and sorghum virus can often be identified as being stunted and with slightly speckled yellow leaf markings. Maize viral disease post. Use this link for more pest fact and identification infomation.

Pest lifecycle: Use this Pest fact sheet link.

Detriment to crops: Sap sucking weakening plants and transmitting plant virus.

Monitoring remarks: Leafhopper nymphs and adults are small and often well distributed on the plant making them hard to detect. Best indications of leafhopper activity can be viral diseases which are often sporadically distributed in a field. There are no pheromone products for monitoring purposes.

Action threshold: Preventative pesticide sprays are recommended in instances where maize viruses have been prevalent in the past. In most instances it will be most effective to use an insecticide that controls caterpillar activity as well as sucking pests.

Control general remarks: Systemic products, can be most effective at controlling leaf hoppers.

Contact a Cropserve agronomist for further information.