Leafhopper outbreak in decade hits North India's cotton belt

New Indian Express

3 days ago

A severe outbreak of leafhopper pests, commonly known as jassids, in the cotton fields of North India could significantly impact the country's already declining cotton production.
A recent field survey conducted by the South Asia Biotechnology Centre revealed a massive infestation of green leafhoppers, referred to locally as hara tela, in key cotton-growing districts. These areas include Hisar, Fatehabad, and Sirsa in Haryana, as well as Mansa, Bathinda, Abohar, and Fazilka in Punjab, and Hanumangarh and Sri Ganganagar in Rajasthan.
The survey was part of the Bandhan project, a programme run by government institutions such as the Central Institute of Cotton Research and various State Agriculture Universities, in collaboration with local non-profit organisations. The aim of this project is to assist farmers in combating Pink Bollworm pests in cotton crops.
The survey team, consisting of scientists, found infestation levels of 12–15 leafhoppers per leaf—significantly above the Economic Threshold Level (ETL). The team further noted that an alarming number of cotton leaf injuries exceeded ETL, based on the damage grading system.
For the past three consecutive weeks, green leafhopper (jassid) populations have exceeded ETL, allegedly triggering widespread yellowing of leaf margins and downward curling—classic symptoms of jassid attack.
Scientists attribute the outbreak to a confluence of weather conditions, including above-average rainfall, an increased number of rainy days, persistent humidity, and cloud cover, all of which have allegedly created ideal conditions for jassid proliferation.
Fields were graded 3 to 4 based on the ICAR-CICR infestation scale, indicating severe to extreme damage. Experts confirm this is the worst outbreak in a decade in the North cotton-growing zone.
'The leafhopper infestation has emerged at a time when the cotton crop stands, and overall condition, are significantly better than in the past three to four years. The crop appears robust across the northern region, except in late-sown areas of Sri Ganganagar, where irrigation was unavailable during the sowing period,' noted Dr Bhagirath Choudhary, Founder & Director of South Asia Biotechnology Centre's High-Tech R&D Station, Sirsa, Haryana.
The survey team noted that failure to control this green leafhopper infestation promptly could lead to substantial damage to the cotton crop in the coming days. Farmers must remain alert and take immediate action to manage the pest effectively to avoid potential yield losses.
The field team was led by scientists and cotton experts including Dr Dilip Monga, Dr Bhagirath Choudhary, Dr Naresh, Deepak Jakhar, and KS Bhardwaj.