Leafhoppers and Planthoppers: Their Bionomics, Pathogen Transmission and Management in Vineyards

Auchenorrhyncha is the hemipteran suborder that includes cicadas, leafhoppers, froghoppers or spittlebugs, planthoppers and treehoppers. Leafhoppers (Cicadellidae) are cosmopolitan and one of the largest insect families with approximately 22,000 described species (Forero 2008). Planthoppers (infra-order Fulgoromorpha) are mainly tropical with approximately 20 described families (Urban and Cryan 2007). Leafhoppers and planthoppers have piercing-sucking mouthparts that cause direct damage to plants by feeding in mesophyll cells or on xylem and/or phloem sap, and indirect damage by transmitting pathogens. Because pathogens are not easily managed in plants, the most common control methods rely on the use of insecticides to manage insect populations. This chapter will provide an overview of the life cycles, feeding behavior and vector abilities of leafhoppers and planthoppers causing damage in vineyards. Present and future management methods will be presented in a viticultural context.