Varietal Screen for Susceptible stage of Saccharum hybrids for Deltocephalus menoni (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), vector of sugarcane White Leaf Disease

Abstract

Screen ABSTRACT Deltocephalus menoni is a sap-sucking insect causing severe losses to the cane sugar industry by feeding on the crop and acting as the vector of Sugarcane white leaf disease (WLD) in Sri Lanka. This study was conducted to determine the most preferred age of the sugarcane plant for optimum feeding of D. menoni . Sugarcane plants of the varieties SL 92 5588, SL 97 1442, SLC 2009 01, and SL 96 128 at six age categories from 1-6