Relative abundance and insecticidal control of leafhoppers (Homoptera:Cicadellidae) in a mixed tall fescue pasture in Tennessee

A survey was made in 1980 and 1981 to identify the leafhoppers associated with a mixed tall fescue pasture on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee. Using a D-Vac® suction sampler, 32 species representing 27 genera in 6 subfamilies of the Cicadellidae were collected. Agallia constricta Van Duzee, Anoscopes serratulae (Fabricius), Forcipata loca DeLong and Caldwell, Latalus sayi (Fitch), Polyamia weedi (Van Duzee), Endria inimica (Say) and Amblysellus curtisii (Fitch) were the most abundant species. Three insecticides (terbufos, Counter® 15G; dimethoate, Cygon™ 400; and malathion 57EL) were evaluated for their effects on leafhopper numbers and forage yield. Both terbufos and dimethoate significantly reduced total leafhopper numbers on some sample dates. In 1980, dry weight yield of tall fescue was significantly greater in the plots treated with terbufos than in the untreated check plots. No significant dry weight yield differences were found in 1981.