Corn Leafhopper Numbers in Argentina Down 90% Y-O-Y
Farmers in Argentina received some good news last week. The sixth survey of the Dalbulus Maidis National Monitoring Network (corn leafhoppers) indicated that there was 90% fewer insects compared to a year ago.
There are 429 traps in five regions of Argentina and Uruguay and in the traps that registered any leafhoppers, there was only one to four individuals per trap, which is the lowest level of classification. The proportion of traps with zero insects increased from the last survey even in areas where corn has already been planted. The only area with slightly more insects than the last survey was northeastern Argentina.
Scientists are cautiously optimistic that 2024/25 will not be a repeat of 2023/24 which saw the worst outbreak of the insect in generations. Fear of another outbreak was one reason why farmers in Argentina decided to reduce their 2024/25 corn acreage.
The Rosario Grain Exchange reported last week that farmers in the core production areas had reduced the corn acreage during the first phase of planting by approximately 30% due to dry conditions. Early planting was hindered last year as well by dry conditions and farmers made up the deficit by increasing their late planted acreage not knowing that corn leafhoppers would impact the late-planted corn.
This year, farmers are concerned about corn leafhoppers and they are unlikely to be willing to increase their late-planted corn acreage. Therefore, it remains to be seen if the reduced acreage will be made up during the second phase of planting in December and January or if those hectares will be switched over to primarily soybeans.
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