Fruit IPM Fact Sheet Fruit IPM Fact Sheet Potato Leafhopper
Mark Longstroth
District Extension Educator for Fruit
Life History:
The potato leafhopper is a small green leafhopper. Nymphs and
adults of the potato leafhopper are pale green and can move backward, forward and
sideways. This leafhopper does not overwinter in the north central states. It
overwinters as an adult on pine trees in the South Eastern United States. The adult
leafhoppers are carried by storms from the south to more northern regions during the
summer. There a discussion of Potato leafhopper on another
page that focuses on its lifecycle and damage to alfalfa. This page focuses on the
damage symptoms, Hopper burn seen in fruit crops and ornamentals. The
potato leafhopper feeds near leaf edges. These feedings show up as triangular, chlorotic
areas that extend from the feeding sites to the leaf edge. A number of feedings sites on a
leaf will cause the leaf to curve downward. As more leaves are affected, plant growth may
be stunted.
Host Range:
This leafhopper is pest on many fruit and ornamental plants. It causes significant injury in apples, plums, some varieties of grapes and many different ornamental species. This pest is found in the Midwestern and eastern United States and southeastern Canada from late spring on and multiple waves of adults are blown north on storm systems from the south.
Injury or Damage:
Apples: In Apples, the potato leafhopper
can be mistaken for the nymphs and adults of the white apple leafhopper.
To tell the difference, note the color and movement of the insects. Nymphs and adults of
the potato leafhopper are pale green and can move backward, forward and sideways. The
white apple leafhopper can only move backward and forward but NOT sideways. So if the
leafhopper can move sideways it is a potato leafhopper. The
damage symptoms are not similar, the white apple leafhopper causes a stippling of the leaves (white specks in the leaves). The potato
leafhopper feeds near leaf edges causing the leaf to curve downward. If several leaves on
a shoot are affected, shoot growth may be stunted.
Cherries: Symptoms seldom show up in
cherries because older leaves that have finished growing cannot express the symptoms.
This picture was taken on a recently planted tree. Newly planted trees grow longer
in the season than established trees so this on showed symptoms.
Strawberries: In strawberries potato
leafhopper is a major concern after renovation because they stunt plant growth during the
summer and reduce yields the following year.
Raspberries: This photo shows hopper
burn at the tip of the primocane.
Walnut: This photo shows hopper burn
in English Walnut. Potato leafhoppers can turn black walnut leaves black except for the
midvein.
Lilac: Lilacs show the symptoms as
strongly as any plant I know.
Control:
This pest has not developed resistance to commonly used pesticides and is easily controlled. It is important to monitor because pretreatment may be necessary. The insecticide Imidacloprid is very effect, is systemic (absorbed into the leaves), and is registered for home owner use on ornamentals and non bearing fruit.
