The jumping plant bug is not a serious sweetpotato pest.

Common in the Philippines and PNG.  Probably widespread in Asia and the Pacific.

Adults and nymphs suck the sap of the leaves producing white stipplings or irregular-shaped marks on the surface.  Usually these are in scattered clusters across the leaf.  Young nymphs may feed in a small area producing roundish spots, which may appear rusty brown on some cultivars.

Adult. The adult is black or dark brown with 2.1 mm body length.  The antennae are long and slender with the second segment four or more times longer than the first segment.  The tips of the antennal segment three and segment two are light brown.  The terminal antennal segment is  dark brown.

Host range

Crops in the family Leguminaceae (legumes or pulses) are important alternate hosts.

Management

There is no information on the control of jumping plant bug in sweetpotato.  Control is generally not necessary.

Reference

Amalin, D.M. and  Vasquez, E.A. 1993. A handbook on Philippine sweet potato pests and their natural enemies. International Potato Center (CIP), Los Baños, Philippines. 82 p.

Contributed by: Erlinda Vasquez, Vilma Amante and Jane O'Sullivan

Taxonomy

Economic importance

Geographical distribution

Damage

Morphology

Host range

Management

Reference

Feeding punctures (stipplings) caused by jumping plant bugs (E. Vasquez).

A jumping plant bug and the white marks (stippling) produced by their feeding (J. O'Sullivan).

Nymphs feeding in a localized area cause browning in some sweetpotato cultivars, resulting in rusty-looking spots (J. O'Sullivan).