B-978

Sugar Beet Curly Top Virus and the Beet Leafhopper

By Eric Morrison, Area IPM Coordinator,

David Legg, State IPM Coordinator, and

Gary Franc, Cooperative Extension Service Plant Pathologist,

Department of Renewable Resources

Curly top virus is found throughout the Western United States. The initial source of the disease has not been identified. However, it is only spread during feeding activities involving the beet leafhopper at certain stages of plant development.

How to collect and monitor beet leafhoppers is presented along with figures showing their identity, which is essential to correctly estimate population densities. They are very small and are most active in high temperatures.