Distribution, host plants, and seasonal occurrence of the maize orange leafhopper, Cicadulina bipunctata (Melichar) (Homoptera: Cicadellidae), in Japan

Abstract

The maize orange leafhopper, Cicadulina bipunctata, is a serious pest of second crops of forage maize in Kyushu, Japan, because it induces maize wallaby ear symptom (MWES), characterized by stunted growth and severe swelling of leaves. We investigated the seasonal occurrence, host plants, and distribution of C. bipunctata in Kyushu from 2004 to 2007. Population densities of C. bipunctata rapidly increased from late July, and generally peaked between September and October. Cicadulina bipunctata fed mainly on Eleusine indica, Digitaria ciliaris, and Setaria viridis from summer to autumn, and overwintered as adults mostly on Sasa spp., followed by wheat and Italian ryegrass. In early spring, the first generation seemed to grow largely on wheat. These results suggest that earlier planting of the second crop of forage maize and management of Sasa spp. in early winter are likely to be effective strategies for reducing the infestation of forage maize by C. bipunctata. Field surveys in 2005 and 2007 revealed that C. bipunctata was distributed at 34 of 54 sites, including Fukuoka, Saga, Kumamoto, Miyazaki, and Kagoshima prefectures. Because such a wide distribution has not been reported in previous studies, C. bipunctata is considered to have expanded its range in recent years.

Occurrence of Cicadulina bipunctata (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) in southwestern Shikoku, Japan and comparisons of gall-inducing ability between Kyushu and Shikoku populations

“…Because C. bipunctata has a certain degree of tolerance to high temperatures, such as 31 and 34°C (Tokuda and Matsumura 2005), the expansion of distribution range following global warming is of concern for this species (Matsumura et al 2005;Matsukura et al 2009aMatsukura et al , 2012b. Cicadulina bipunctata occurs in the southern parts and middle-western parts of Kyushu (Webb 1987;Matsukura et al 2009a), and our most recent study revealed that the leafhopper is also distributed in the middle-eastern parts, but not in the northern parts, of Kyushu (Kumashiro et al 2012).…”

“…Maize orange leafhopper, Cicadulina bipunctata (Melichar), is distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the Old World (Webb 1987;Matsukura et al 2009a). In Japan, this species is known to occur in the Bonin Islands (Matsumura 1914), the Ryukyu Islands (Hayashi 2002), and Kyushu (Matsumura et al 2006;Matsukura et al 2009a;Kumashiro et al 2012).…”

“…In Japan, this species is known to occur in the Bonin Islands (Matsumura 1914), the Ryukyu Islands (Hayashi 2002), and Kyushu (Matsumura et al 2006;Matsukura et al 2009a;Kumashiro et al 2012). The leafhopper feeds on various Poaceae including important crops, such as maize, rice and wheat (Maramorosch et al 1961;Catindig et al 1996;Kumashiro et al 2011).…”

“…Galls are induced only on leaves which are newly expanding during leafhopper feeding, but not on leaves already developed or those which expand after the removal of leafhoppers (Ofori and Francki 1983;Ohata 1993;Matsukura et al 2009b). The degree of gall induction depends on the density and duration of feeding by C. bipunctata (Matsukura et al 2009a;Matsukura and Matsumura 2010;Tokuda et al 2013).…”

“…Cicadulina bipunctata occurs in the southern parts and middle-western parts of Kyushu (Webb 1987;Matsukura et al 2009a), and our most recent study revealed that the leafhopper is also distributed in the middle-eastern parts, but not in the northern parts, of Kyushu (Kumashiro et al 2012). Until now, C. bipunctata had not been reported from Shikoku or the Kii Peninsula, Honshu, even though the annual mean temperatures of these areas are rather higher than in the middle parts of Kyushu (Japan Meteorological Agency 2011).…”