Project Grant 20266704146728

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded the University of Florida $499,712 on September 1, 2026, under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI) program (CFDA 10.310) to conduct rapid-response research on the two-spot cotton leafhopper, an invasive pest that has spread across the Caribbean, Central America, and into multiple U.S. states since its first detection in Puerto Rico in 2023.

The project addresses four research objectives: identifying host range, damage, and population changes through farm surveys and weed sampling in Florida and Georgia; investigating dispersal and spatial distribution in laboratory and field conditions; assessing leafhopper preference and performance across commercially available eggplant and okra varieties; and evaluating the efficacy of organic bioinsecticides under field conditions. The leafhopper causes hopperburn, defoliation, stunting, premature fruit drop, and yield losses exceeding 50 percent in okra and 37 percent in eggplant, with a host range that includes okra, eggplant, roselle, pepper, tomato, and ornamentals such as hibiscus.

The University of Florida Division of Sponsored Research administers the award with place of performance in Gainesville, Florida. The period of performance runs from September 1, 2026, through August 31, 2028. Extension and outreach activities will train agents and disseminate findings through workshops, blogs, extension documents, and direct engagement with growers to support integrated pest management strategies and regional risk assessments for this emerging invasive pest.