Papaya (Carica papaya)

Grasshopper (Poecilocerus pictus)

Symptoms

  • Both nymphs and adults suck the sap from the lower leaf surfaces through their piercing and sucking mouthparts.
  • While sucking the plant sap, they also inject toxic saliva into the plant tissues, which leads to yellowing.
  • When several insects suck the sap from the same leaf, yellow spots appear on the leaves, followed by crinkling, curling, bronzing, and drying, or “hopper burn”.

Management

  • Removal of weeds and alternate host plants such as Hibiscus, bhindi, custard apple, guava etc.