Leafhoppers Associated with Blueberry in Jalisco, Mexico

Leafhoppers (Cicadellidae) are major pests of commercial blueberry Vaccinium spp. in the world, causing damage from nutriment suction, flow vascular obstruction, and disease-causal phytopathogens transmission. Despite the potential damage these insects can cause to blueberry plants, there are no reports on their presence in Mexico, which is essential for planning management strategies. The objective of this research was to determine the species and seasonal abundance of leafhoppers associated with blueberry in commercial plantations at Jalisco, Mexico. Leafhoppers were collected with yellow traps every 2 weeks from April 2018 through April 2019. In total, 6,236 specimens from eight subfamilies, 21 tribes, 45 genera, and 40 Cicadellidae species were obtained. The largest number of species was in Deltocephalinae and Cicadellinae subfamilies. Empoasca aracoma, Dalbulus maidis, Scaphytopius nitndus, Agallia quadripunctata, Balclutha incisa, Graminella sonora, Xestocephalus desertorum, and Planicephalus flavicosta were the most abundant species. Leafhoppers were most abundant in February-March and October-November during fruiting and flowering periods. There was no correlation between population density and climate, but a trend of greater abundance was observed during warmer and drier months.