1Division of Entomology, Horticultural Research & Development Institute, Department of Agriculture, Gannoruwa, Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
2Department of Agricultural Biology, University of Ruhuna, Mapalana, Kamburupitiya, Sri Lanka.
The population dynamics of three species of mango leaf hoppers, Amritodus brevistylus Leth, Idioscopus niveosparus Leth. and Idioscopus clypealis Leth. (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) were studied at Kundasale and Gannoruwa in the mid country region of Sri Lanka over three years. The population of I. niveosparus and A. brevistylus begins to increase in February with a peak in March–April in both the locations. The population peaks for I. clypealis was observed in March and September at Gannoruwa and April and October in Kundasale. These populations peaks coincided with the occurrence of major or minor flowering seasons of mango. In case of A. brevistylus another population peak was also observed in June. This species breed on vegetative shoots and the population increase, coincides with the occurrence of vegetative flush. The effectiveness of neem oil and chemical insecticides fenthion (Fenthion 50% EC), buprofezin (Applaud 10% WP) and imidacIoprid (Admire SL 200) was tested against the mango hoppers in a two application schedule applied just after flowering and again 10 days later. ImidacIoprid (1 ml/1 litre) was found to be the most effective one and the optimum time to control mango hoppers in mid country wet zone was in February–March.
