Apr 26, 2024

Best Practices Recommended for the Control of Corn Leafhoppers

Author: Michael Cordonnier/Soybean & Corn Advisor, Inc.

Corn leafhoppers (Dalbulus maidis), which are responsible for transmitting corn stunt disease, are causing significant problems for corn farmers in Argentina and Brazil. In infected fields, yield losses can vary from as little as 5% to as much as 100%. There is no registered treatment for the disease once a plant is infected, so it is imperative to implement best practices to control the insects before they can infect corn.

Bayer Crop Science in conjunction with the Brazilian agricultural research service, Embrapa, are recommending the following practices for Brazilian farmers to best control corn leafhoppers.

Pre-Plant

Planting:

Harvest and post-harvest:

Bottom line: There is no one definitive solution for the control of corn leafhoppers. Any hope of controlling the insect will depend on farmers using best practices and integrated pest management.