Dalbulus maidis and Dalbulus spp.

Nature of damage

• Direct feeding and sucking of plant juices. Transmission of virus and spiroplasmas, including corn stunt spiroplasma (Sprioplasma kunkelii) resulting in corn stunt.

Signs

• Sooty mold accumulation where leafhoppers deposit sticky honeydew while feeding.
• Stunting and premature wilting of leaves.
• Symptoms of corn stunt including chlorotic stripes on young leaves, leaf purpling, excessive tillering and cobbing and formation of barren cobs.

Factors favoring development

• Continous, overlapping maize cropping.
• Late planting where climatic conditions favor insect development.
• Dry conditions.

Geographic distribution

• Two of the pathogens for which this leafhopper is a vector, the corn stunt spiroplasma (Rio grande strain) and maize rayadofino virus, are distributed throughout the tropical and subtropical belts of the American continent.
• The third, corn stunt mycoplasma (Mesa Central strain), is apparently restricted to the Mexican highlands.

For extended information on corn stunt leaf hoppers click here