The invasive two-spot cotton leafhopper has recently expanded into the southeast and midsouth U.S., resulting in yield and revenue losses in cotton, horticultural crops, and ornamentals

The Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture awarded Louisiana State University Agricultural Center $499,834 under the Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (CFDA 10.310) on September 1, 2026.

The award funds development and delivery of integrated pest management strategies for the invasive two-spot cotton leafhopper, which has recently expanded into the Southeast and Midsouth U.S., causing yield and revenue losses in cotton, horticultural crops, and ornamentals. The project will generate trainings and resources for proper pest identification, test and communicate control strategies, and study the biology and ecology of the two-spot cotton leafhopper to develop sustainable best management tools and tactics. The integrated approach combines extension and research across state, private, and university entities to establish an IPM program addressing consultant, agent, and producer knowledge gaps on identification, monitoring, and control.

Work is performed at Baton Rouge, Louisiana. The period of performance runs from September 1, 2026 through August 31, 2028.

Due to the quick, unexpected invasion, consultants, agents, and producers lack knowledge on how to properly identify, monitor, and control this pest. To address these deficiencies, this proposal will rapidly generate and deliver the necessary information to establish an integrated pest management program. Utilizing an integrated approach of both extension and research between state, private, and university entities, this solution-driven project will design and develop trainings and resources for proper identification (short-term goal), test and communicate control strategies (mid-term goal), and study the biology and ecology of two-spot cotton leafhopper (long-term goal) to develop sustainable best management tools and tactics. Successful completion will result in invasive pest IPM strategies to strengthen the sustainability of the agronomic and horticultural industry.