First records of Amrasca biguttula in the western hemisphere
The Indian cotton jassid, Amrasca biguttula (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) is a polyphagous pest attacking important crops such as cultivated and wild cotton (Gossypium spp.), aubergine (Solanum melongena), potato (Solanum tuberosum), okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), maize (Zea mays), and sunflower (Helianthus annuus). Its native range is in Asia and Oceania, and extends from Iran to Japan and Micronesia.
A. biguttula has been recorded recently from West Africa, firstly in Ghana in 2021 on okra. It was also recorded in Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire where it has significatively impacted cotton production since 2022. In Côte d’Ivoire, the pest has nearly completely replaced the major pest of cotton there, Jacobiasca lybica (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). It was also recorded causing severe damage in okra and aubergine production. Although no scientific papers could be retrieved for other African countries, technical reports and media articles seem to indicate that A. biguttula has also spread in neighbouring countries: Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo.
A. biguttula was also first recorded in Puerto Rico. The pest was observed causing severe damage on cotton in April 2023, as well as damaging aubergine. The authors considers that further research is needed to confirm the status of the species in Puerto Rico but note that if A. biguttula would become established in Puerto Rico, it could further spread from there to other parts of the Americas and threaten agriculture in e.g. the Southern USA and other Caribbean islands.
It is not known how A. biguttula was introduced in Puerto Rico or West Africa but these records show that the species spreads naturally, moves in trade, and could be a concern for EPPO countries producing cotton and other host crops.
Sources
Cabrera-Asencio I, Dietrich CH, Zahniser JN (2023) A new invasive pest in the Western Hemisphere: Amrasca biguttula (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae). Florida Entomologist 106(4), 263-266.
Jacques HD, Socrates DN, Bouladji Y, Djague TL, Moïse A, Noé W (2024) First infestation of an exotic crops pest, Amrasca biguttula on cotton Gossypium hirsutum L. in North Cameroon. International Journal of Plant & Soil Science 36(3),16-22. http://science.sdpublishers.org/id/eprint/2549
Kouadio H, Kouakou M, Bini KK, Koffi KJ, Ossey CL, Kone PW, Adepo-Gourene AB, Ochou OG (2024) Annual and geographical variations in the specific composition of jassids and their damage on cotton in Ivory Coast. Scientific Reports 14(1), 2094. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-52127-y
Programme régional de production intégrée du coton en Afrique. https://prpica.org/