Green leafhopper returns to Punjab after several years, farmer brace for 30% loss in yields

Farmer Harjinder Singh from Sahnewali village in Mansa district said that the green leafhopper has attacked his entire 4-acre cotton crop, and he expects a 20–25 per cent loss in yield this year. He added that his entire village grows only cotton, and not a single farmer’s field has been spared this season. Harjinder said that no official from the agriculture department has visited the village to assess the crop damage so far.

When The Indian Express reached out to Punjab Director of Agriculture Jaswant Singh about the recent impact of the pest on cotton crops, he did not provide any response to multiple phone calls or messages.

Fauja Singh and Kewal Singh, also from Sahnewali, reported hara tela infestation on their 25-acre and 15-acre cotton crops respectively.

Manpreet Singh, a farmer from Chormar village in Sirsa district of Haryana, is facing a similar situation. His entire 17-acre cotton crop is affected, and he too expects a 20–25 per cent loss in yield. “Our village also grows only cotton, and this year, not a single field has remained unaffected,” he said. Bittu Singh from the same village said he initially mistook the yellowing and curling of leaves as rain damage, but soon realised it was due to hara tela. “We delayed spraying the recommended insecticides, and now only some plants show signs of recovery,” he claimed.

Jagjeet Singh of Chak Hira Singhwali village in Tehsil Sangaria, Hanumangarh district of Rajasthan, said the pest has attacked his entire 45-bigha cotton crop. “The infestation is not limited to my village — it has spread across the entire tehsil. We don’t know how to save our crop,” he said.

Farmers Gurmeet Singh from Singhpura village (Sirsa), Makhan Singh from Mansa, and many others have also reported similar attacks. These are not isolated cases — hara tela has been reported from numerous villages across Punjab, Haryana, and Rajasthan, which together form the cotton belt of north India.

A field survey conducted under Project Bandhan by the South Asia Biotechnology Centre (SABC), Jodhpur, has confirmed a significant rise in jassid presence in major cotton-growing districts of Haryana (Hisar, Fatehabad, Sirsa), Punjab (Mansa, Bathinda, Abohar, Fazilka), and Rajasthan (Hanumangarh, Sri Ganganagar). Infestation levels of 12–15 leafhoppers per leaf were reported — well above the Economic Threshold Level (ETL), along with visible leaf damage reaching Grade III and IV severity.

“In our survey a severe outbreak of green leafhopper was noticed in several villages of north India’s cotton belt, posing a significant threat to the cotton crop across Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan. This rise in the jassid population comes after several years and is largely due to this year’s prolonged wet and humid weather conditions — above-average rainfall, high humidity, and overcast skies,” Dr Bhagirath Choudhary, Founder & Director of SABC’s High-Tech R&D Station in Sirsa, Haryana said, adding that this pest has returned to the fields after a gap of several years.

“The leafhopper infestation has emerged at a time when the cotton crop was showing great promise compared to the past 3–4 years,” Bhagirath said.

This resurgence is significant because leafhopper, unlike the other two major sucking pests of cotton — whitefly and thrips — thrives in dry conditions, while this flourishes in wet climate. Experts say that although whitefly and thrips typically dominate headlines during drought years, this year’s monsoon pattern has created a conducive environment for jassid to flourish.

“This could lead to a widespread outbreak because at some places it is already quite severe and  the pest has appeared in considerable numbers and needs to be managed promptly to prevent damage,” Dr Dilip Monga, former head of CICR Regional Research Station, Sirsa, said. “Farmers must take the advisory seriously.”

Field symptoms, as recorded by the survey team, include yellowing of leaf margins, downward curling, crinkling, and bronzing — are all classic signs of jassid attack. Under the ICAR-CICR grading system, most affected fields are falling under Grade III or IV, which represents severe stress on the plant, and potential yield losses of up to 30 per cent if not managed.

What farmers should know: Leafhopper profile and damage

The green leafhopper, a season-long sucking pest of cotton, is a 3.5-mm pale green insect identified by its two black spots and quick, diagonal movement on leaves. Both nymphs and adults suck sap from the leaf tissue and inject toxins, leading to what experts call “hopper burn” (blackish or brownish colour of the leaf). The damage reduces photosynthesis, stunts plant growth, and in extreme conditions, dries out leaves altogether.

According to ICAR-CICR, the Economic Threshold Level (ETL) is considered breached when more than 5 out of 20 sampled plants show Grade II symptoms — minor leaf colouring and yellowing — or worse. Grade III indicates crinkling across the plant and stunted growth, while Grade IV includes severe bronzing, drying, and curling of leaves.

“Most fields surveyed this year have exceeded the ETL, making timely intervention essential,” Bhagirath said. He added that the SABC team has issued science-backed advisory steps under Project Bandhan and the High-Tech Regenerative Cotton Farming programme.

“Regular field monitoring is a must. Inspect fields at least twice a week, especially the undersides of leaves where jassids tend to hide. Look for small, green, mobile insects, and symptoms such as yellowing leaf margins and curling. For severity assessment, if more than two jassids per leaf are observed or if the damage is at Grade II or above, immediate intervention is required,” Bhagirath added.

For early-stage infestation, neem oil or eco-friendly bio-insecticides are advised. In case of severe infestation, farmers should use one of the following insecticides — rotating them to prevent resistance: Tolfenpyrad 15 EC (300 ml/acre), Fenpyroximate 5 EC (300 ml/acre), Flonicamid 50 WG (80 gm/acre), Dinotefuran 20 SG (60 gm/acre), or Thiamethoxam 25 WG (40 gm/acre). Experts recommend spraying either in the early morning or late evening, ensuring thorough coverage of the leaf undersides. They also advise clearing weeds within and around the fields, as these can host jassids and other pests.

“Field observations have revealed widespread yellowing of leaf margins and downward curling — classic signs of leafhopper attack. Based on the ICAR-CICR grading scale, most fields have recorded Grade III to IV damage, indicating severe to extreme injury. This has made the current outbreak the worst jassid infestation in over a decade in the region,” said Bhagirath.