Dry Edible Beans: Potato Leafhopper

Excerpt from Agronomy Guide for Field Crops (Chapter 7)

Order OMAFRA Publication 811: Agronomy Guide for Field Crops

Table of Contents

1. Description
2. Life History
3. Damage
4. Scouting Technique
5. Action Threshold
6. Management Strategies
7. Updates on Dry Edible Beans: Potato Leafhopper
8. Related Links

Description

Potato leafhopper (PLH) adults are pale-green, wedge-shaped, winged insects about 3 mm long with piercing and sucking mouthparts. Adults are broadest towards the head, with the body tapering evenly to the wing tips. There is a row of six rounded white spots behind the head. The wingless nymphs are smaller than adults.

Plate 56. Potato leafhoppers are pale green, wedge-shaped, winged insects. Immature nymphs are smaller and wingless.

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Life History

PLH does not overwinter in Ontario. Leafhoppers generally migrate north every spring, carried along by southerly, weather fronts that start in the Gulf of Mexico. Adults generally arrive by late spring, feeding first on alfalfa and other perennial legumes. PLH generally does not appear on beans until late June after alfalfa has been cut. Occasionally, huge numbers of leafhoppers may arrive ìovernightî from the south resulting in a damaging population on seedling beans. Females lay their eggs in the main veins and petioles of the leaves. Development from egg to adult takes approximately 2-3 weeks.

Damage

PLH feed by piercing plant tissue and sucking plant sap. While doing this they damage the vascular cells, which block the veins causing plant nutrients and products to accumulate in the leaf. This causes the leaves to curl and pucker, and eventually the leaf edges begin to scorch. These symptoms are called hopperburn. Border rows are affected first. Because yield is lost before hopperburn is seen, do not use the presence of hopperburn as a management guide. Leafhoppers tend to come into soybean and edible bean fields after neighbouring alfalfa fields are cut. The symptoms of potato leafhopper are commonly confused with herbicide injury problems, nutrient deficiency and drought stress. High risk factors include hot, drier-than-normal seasons.

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Scouting Techniques

Walk in an "X" pattern. In 10 areas of the field, pick 10 trifoliate leaves that are newly and fully expanded from the centre of the plant canopy.

Action Thresholds

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Management Strategies

Use of systemic insecticides at planting may help to control the pest. Refer to OMAFRA Publication 812, Field Crop Protection Guide, for recommended insecticides. A naturally occurring fungal pathogen helps reduce the populations of the PLH under cool, moist conditions. Predators and parasites appear to play a minor role in controlling the pest. (Order OMAFRA Publication 812)

Updates on Dry Edible Beans: Potato Leafhopper

• Field Crop Protection Guide - Publication 812
  • Dry Edible Beans: Potato Leafhopper

Related Links

• Insects
• Dry Edible Beans

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