The University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is alerting growers to a new pest of concern making its mark in South Florida farms and nurseries: the invasive two-spot cotton leafhopper.
Measuring only 2.5 to 3 millimeters in its adult stage, the two-spot cotton leafhopper can cause serious damage to food and ornamental crops, and UF/IFAS experts are encouraging vigilance among South Florida farmers and residents.
© Alexandra Revynthi
"The two-spot cotton leafhopper is a serious pest of cotton, okra, eggplant, peanut, roselle, soybean, sunflower and tropical hibiscus. For South Florida this is bad news as okra and tropical hibiscus are important and popular crops for the region," said Alexandra Revynthi, assistant professor of ornamental entomology and acarology at the UF/IFAS Tropical Research and Education Center in Homestead.
First detected in Florida in December 2024 by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences, the tiny destructive insect feeds on plant sap, causing yellowing, browning, curling and wilting of leaves – a symptom known as hopperburn. Because the insects are so small, the damage often appears before farmers even notice the pest. In crops overseas, infestations have caused yield losses of more than 50% by the pest that goes by other names including Indian cotton jassid, Indian cotton leafhopper and cotton jassid.
© Cat Wofford
While South Florida growers may see the greatest impact on crops like okra, eggplant, roselle and tropical hibiscus, the pest's reach extends statewide. In Central and Southwest Florida, these same crops are widely planted in commercial fields and home gardens. In North Florida, staple crops such as cotton, peanut, sunflower, potato and soybean could also be at risk. Ornamental hibiscus, both tropical and hardy varieties, are cultivated throughout Florida, making landscapes another potential entry point for the pest.
The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services–Division of Plant Industry (FDACS-DPI) has listed the two-spot cotton leafhopper as a regulated pest. So far, detections have been confirmed in several counties across the state, with the potential to spread further.
UF/IFAS TREC and UF/IFAS Extension Miami-Dade County have prepared the following factsheet with information on monitoring, chemical and biological controls against the insect, as well as how and where to send samples.
Source: University of Florida
