Diversity of leafhopper fauna in rice and vegetable ecosystems

Abstract

Leafhoppers are one of the important groups of insect pests on agricultural crops. Vegetables and rice crop are subjected to infestation by a number of leafhopper species, leading to heavy economic loss. These leafhoppers suck sap from crops and inject toxic saliva into plant tissues resulting in hopper burn symptoms. They also cause damage when they oviposit into plant tissues. Some species act as vectors of plant pathogens viz., viruses, phytoplasmas, spiroplasmas and bacteria Eg. rice green leafhoppers. Nielson (1985) reported 151 species of leafhoppers as vectors of plant diseases and nearly 70 per cent of insect species transmitting plant disease agents are leafhoppers. The present study on “Diversity of leafhopper fauna associated with rice and vegetable ecosystems” was undertaken at Department of Agricultural Entomology, College of Horticulture, Vellanikkara during 2014-16 with the objectives to document the diversity of leafhoppers in rice and vegetable ecosystems in Thrissur district and to develop a dichotomous taxonomic key for their identification.