Potato leafhopper

Definition

A small, wedge-shaped leafhopper (Empoasca fabae, family Cicadellidae, order Hemiptera) native to North America and a major economic pest of legumes, solanaceous crops, and forage plants. Adults and nymphs feed by piercing phloem tissue and injecting saliva that causes characteristic hopperburn: leaf curling, stunting, and yield loss without visible honeydew or sooty mold. Unlike many leafhoppers, E. fabae does not transmit plant pathogens; damage is purely mechanical-toxic. Populations migrate annually from southern overwintering grounds to temperate agricultural regions, making timing of scouting and insecticide application critical.

Etymology

From the common host plant Solanum tuberosum (potato) and the family name leafhopper (Cicadellidae), referring to their habit of jumping from foliage when disturbed

Example

In alfalfa, potato leafhopper infestations exceeding one nymph per sweep net typically justify insecticide treatment to prevent stunting and reduced protein content in hay.

Synonyms

• Empoasca fabae

Related Terms

• leafhopper
• hopperburn
• Cicadellidae
• phloem feeding
• Economic threshold
• alfalfa weevil

Usage Notes

The common name is sometimes applied loosely to other Empoasca species, but in North American agricultural contexts it specifically denotes E. fabae. Contrast with aster leafhopper (Macrosteles quadrilineatus), a vector of phytoplasma diseases. Damage symptoms resemble drought stress or nutrient deficiency, requiring careful field diagnosis. The species is not established in Europe or Asia; similar damage there is caused by other Empoasca species.