Storey's leafhopper

Storey's leafhopper (Cicadulina storeyi) is a significant insect pest classified within the order Hemiptera and the family Cicadellidae. Primarily found in tropical and subtropical regions, this insect is well-known among agronomists for its role in damaging cereal crops and its efficiency as a vector for various plant pathogens.

The primary hosts of this leafhopper include important agricultural crops such as maize, wheat, sorghum, and millet. It can also thrive on a variety of wild grasses, which act as secondary hosts during the off-season. These wild reservoirs make the management of the pest particularly challenging in regions with continuous cropping systems.

The life cycle of Cicadulina storeyi consists of egg, nymph, and adult stages. Both nymphs and adults feed by inserting their piercing-sucking mouthparts into the plant's vascular tissue to extract sap. This process is highly dependent on environmental conditions, with warm, humid weather accelerating their development and increasing population density.

While the direct feeding damage can reduce plant vigor, the most severe economic impact stems from the leafhopper's role as the main vector of the Maize Streak Virus (MSV). Infected plants exhibit characteristic yellow streaking along the leaf veins, stunted growth, and significantly reduced yield, often resulting in total crop failure if infection occurs at an early stage.

Effective management strategies for Cicadulina storeyi require an integrated approach:

• Planting of maize varieties resistant or tolerant to the Maize Streak Virus.
• Systemic insecticide applications to suppress vector populations during the early seedling stage.
• Weed management to eliminate alternative host plants in and around cultivated fields.
• Adjustment of planting dates to avoid peaks in leafhopper migration and colonization.