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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #243582
Title: Leafhoppers and potatoes in Alaska

Author
item Pantoja, Alberto
item Hagerty, Aaron
item Emmert, Susan
item Munyaneza, Joseph - Joe

Submitted to: Agroborealis
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 5/12/2010
Publication Date: 11/20/2010
Citation: Pantoja, A., Hagerty, A.M., Emmert, S.Y., Munyaneza, J.E. 2010. Leafhoppers and potatoes in Alaska. Agroborealis. 41(1):28-33.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Research conducted from 2004 to 2006 in the main potato production areas of Alaska resulted in the identification of 41 leafhopper species associated with agricultural settings. Two species, Davisonia snowi (Dorst) and Macrosteles fascifrons (Stål), made up approximately 60% of the total number of individuals collected, representing 34 and 26%, respectively. Both species, M. fascifrons and D. snowi generally arrived in fields by late May to early June and numbers peaked by late June to July, but in all years M. fascifrons populations peaked earlier than D. snowi. Three of the species collected [Balclutha punctata (Fabricius), M. fascifrons, and Scaphytopius acutus (Say)] are known vectors of phytoplasmas of potatoes and other agricultural crops or have the potential to cause mechanical damage to potatoes. This report represents the first extensive study of cicadellids from potatoes in Alaska.