Bulletin No. 205-The Beet Leafhopper in Utah: a Study of Its Distribution and the Occurrence of Curly-Top
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU UAES Bulletins Agricultural Experiment Station 6-1928 Bulletin No. 205 - The Beet Leafhopper in Utah: A Study of Its Distribution and the Occurrence of Curly-top George F. Knowlton Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/uaes_bulletins Part of the Agricultural Science Commons Recommended Citation Knowlton, George F., "Bulletin No. 205 - The Beet Leafhopper in Utah: A Study of Its Distribution and the Occurrence of Curly-top" (1928). UAES Bulletins. Paper 176. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/uaes_bulletins/176 This Full Issue is brought to you for free and open access by the Agricultural Experiment Station at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in UAES Bulletins by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. B LLETIN 205 JUNE, 192 The Beet Leafhopper In Utah A Study of Its Distribution and the Occurrence of Curly-top By EORGE F. KNOWLTON The d:uk form of the beet leafhopper , " I Eu,tettix t en ell'LIS ( Baker) (x30) U TAH AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION L OGAN, UTAH UTAH AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION BOARD OF TRUSTE ES ANTHONY W . IVINS, President ................................... , ................ Salt Lake City C. G. ADNEY, Vice·President ........................................... ~ ........................... Corin ne ROY BULLEN ........................................................................................ Salt Lake City LORE NZO N . STOHL __ __ __ __________ __ ____ __ __ ____ ____ __ __ __ __ ______ __ __ __ __ ________________ Salt Lake City MRS. L EE CHAR LES MILLER ____ ____ __ __ ______ __ __ __ __ ____ __ ______ ________________ Salt Lake City WESTON VE R NON, Sr. ____________ __________ __ __ __ __ ____ ______ __ ____ __ __ ______ __ __ __ __ __ __ __ ____ .... __ ____ . Logan FRANK B. STEPHENS ____ .. ____ .. __ ..... __ ... __ ____ .. __ .......... __ .. __ .. ______ .. __ ..____ Salt Lake City MRS. BURTON W . M SSER .............. __ ....... __ ________ .... ______ __ ________ __ . Salt L ak e City WILFORD DAY ...... __ .. __ .............. __ .... ____ .... __ ......... __ ... ---- .... ------------.. ---- ....... ______ . Parowan FREDERICK P . CHAMP ........ __ ..... __ . __ .... __ ............ ... __ ........ ____ __ __ .............. __ ......... Logan JOHN E. GRIFFIN ... __ ................ __ . ____ .. __ .............. __ .. __ .. ____ ..... __ __ .. ____ __ __ ____ .. __ ____ ... Newton J. R . BEUS ............ __ .................. __ ............ __ __ ............ ____ __ ...... __ ... __ ....... __ ...... ____ . __ . Hooper H. E . CROCK E TT, Secretary of State (ex·officio) ____ ______ __ __ __ __ __ .. __ Salt Lake City R. E . BERNTSON, Secretary __ __ ______ ____________________ .. ____ .. __ __ ____________ __ .... ______ ____ ____ Logan EXPER IMENT STA. TI ON STA.FF E. G. PETE RSON, Ph. D., ____ __ ______ President of the College WILLIAM P E T E RSON, B. S., ________ Director and Geologist H . J. FREDERICK, D. V. M. __ __ .. __ ________ . __ __ ______ ____ __ __ ____ __ ______ ____ ______ . __ ____ Veterinarian J. E. GREAYES , Ph. D. __ .+ .. __ .. __ ______ __ __ ____ ... ____________ __ Chemist a nd Bact eriologist GE ORGE B. CAINE , A . M . .. __ .. __ ................... __ ........ __ .. ____ .. ____ __ . Da iry Husbandman R. L . HILL, Ph. D. __ __ .... ________ . __________ __ _... ____________ __ ______ __ __ __ ____ ______ Human Nutrition GE ORGE STEWART, P h . D. __ ____ __ __ ____ ..... __ _ -- ---------- .. -- ---- ------ ---- -- -- --------. Agr onomist O. W . ISRAE LSEN , Ph. D. ____ ____ ______ __ __ __ ____ .. Irrigation and Drainage E ngineer BYRON ALDE R , B. S. __ __ ______ __ __ ____ __ __ ____ ______ .. __ ______ ____ ____ .. __ __ ____ Poultry Husbandman DAVID S. JENNINGS, Ph. D. ...... _______ ____ __ ________ ______ . _____ __ ____ .. __ .... ____ ____ __ ____ __ __ Soils WILLARD GARDNE R , Ph. D. __ __ __ __ __ __ .. __ __ . __ __ ____ __ __ . __ ________ . __ ___ __ __ ____________ Physicist B. L. RICHARDS, P h . D .. ____ ____ __ ____ __ __ ____ .. __ __ .. __ . __ Botanist and Plant Pathologist KENNETH C. IKE L E R , M. S. ________ .. __ __ ____ . ________ . ____ __ __ __ __ ____ Animal Husban dman H . J. ' PACK, Ph. D . ... ____ ____ . __ . __ . ____ __ ____ . __________ . __ .. ____ __ __ __ . __ . __ '__ .. __ .. ____ .... Entomologist P. V. CARDON, B. S. __________ __ __ .. __ __ __ .. __ .... ____ .... __ ........ __ .... __ .. ____ __ ... __ . Farm E conomist L. M. WINSOR, M. S . .... __ . ____ __ .. __ __ __ .. __ __ ________ __ __ __ __ . Associate Irrigation Engineer E. G. CARTER, Dr. P . H . ______ __ ..... __ . __ . ______ .. __ ... __ __ ____ __ ______ Associate Bacteriologist C. T. HIRST, M. S. ______ ... __ . ____ ______ ____ .. __ .. __ . __ . ____ __ ____________ __ __ . __ . __ .. __ Associate Chemist D. W. PITTMAN, M. S .... __ ____ ______ . __ __ . __ __ .. __ ... __ ..... ______ .... __ . Associate Agronomist *M. D. THOMAS, M. A . .. __________ __ ____ __ ____ __ ____ ______ .:______ __ __ __ __ ____ Associate Soil Ch emist F . B. WANN, Ph. D. ____ . ___ ____ . ____ __ ____ ... ____ __________ __ ____ __ . Associate Plant Physiologist JOSE PH A. GEDDE S, Ph. D. __ ____ ... ________ .. ____ __ __ __ ... Associate Rural Sociologist R. J. BECRAFT, M. S . ... __ __ ____ . ______ ..... ______ __ ____ . __ Assistant in Range Management GEORGE D. CLYDE, M. S. ____ __ ........ __ .. __ .. __ __ .... Assistant Irrigation Engineer A . F . BRACKEN, M. A . ____ __ Assistant Agronomist and Superintendent, Nephi Substation A. L. WILSON, M. A . ...... Superintendent, Davis County Experimental F arm A. C. ESPLIN, B. S . ..... _____ .. ______ . __ .. _ .............. _.... __ Assistant Animal Husbandman CHARLES J. SORENSON, M. A. __ ...................... ______ __ Assistant Entomologist DELMAR C. TINGEY, M. A . .... __ __ .. __ .. .... __ __ .. __ ____ __ ____ __ __ __ Assistant Agronomist ALMEDA PERRY BROWN, M. S . .. ____ __ __ ... __ .. ______ . Assistant in Home Econom ics W. PRESTON THOMAS, M. S. __ __ .. __ .... ____ . ___ ____ __ __ __ __ . Assistant in Marketing GEORGE F. KNOWLTON, M. S . ____ __ __ .... ______ .. __ ..... ____ __ __ __ . Assistant Entomologist H. LORAN BLOOD, B. S. ________ ____ ______ ____ .. ________ . __ ... Assistant Plant Pathologist FRANCIS M. COE, M. S . ............ ........................... __ ......... Assistant Horticulturist GEORGE Q. BATEMAN, B. S. __ .. Superintendent, Dairy Experimental Farm JOHN W. CARLSON, M. A. __ .. __ .. Superintendent, Alfalfa-seed Experimental Farm, Uintah Basin HARRIET MORGAN, B. S. __ ............................ __ Assistant in Home Economics LE MOYNE WILSON, B. S . ____ ............ __ ..... Superintendent, San Pete County Experimental Farm B. F . H ULME, B. S . .... __ ............. ~ .... Superintendent, P a nguitch Livestock Farm I. D. ZOBELL, B. S . ...... Superintendent, Carbon County Experimental Farm C. A. HYMAS, B. S . ........ __ ............ Superintendent, Sheep Experimental Farm RUSSELL E. BERNTSON ____ ... __ .. ______ __ .. __ __ .. __ __ . Secretary and Purchasing Agen t BLANCHE CONDIT-PITTMAN, A . B. .. ..... __ .... __ ... Publications and Library DAVID A. BURGOYNE, B. S . .............. ... ____ .. __ .. ____ ............... Secretary to Director *On leave. THE BEET LEAFHOPPER IN UTAH A Study of It Distribution and the Occun'ence of Curly-top GEORGE F . K NOWLTONl INTRODUCTION The sugar-beet industry of Utah, and many other western states, has suffered enormous losses from curly-top. Under natural conditions this disease is transmitted, so far as known, solely through the feeding of t he bee t leafhopper, Eutettix tenellU8 (Baker) (Fig. 1) , the so-called "white fly." The serious damage of 1924 and 1926 has especially empha sized' the necessity for more knowledge concern ing the problem. In 1925!l studies were begun to determine the range and p r inc i pal breeding grounds of the leafhopper. The develop ment and damage of the curly -top disease in the state was also investi gated. In 1924 the writer devoted some study to the curly-top outbreak and did some work in the beet fields again during FIG. l.-The light form of the beet leaf hopper, E1.aettix tenellus (Baker) (x30) the spring of 1925. lThe writer wishes to thank Mr. Walter Carter of the U. S. Bureau of Entomology, who is in active leadership of the cooperative project, for sug· gestions and help in outlining the work herein discussed. He also wishes to thank Director William Peterson and Dr. H. J. Pack of the Utah Station for suggestions and encouragement. The writer is indebted to Dr. E. G. Titus, formerly of the Utah-Idaho Sugar Company, for cooperation and suggestions. Credit is due also to many workers connected with the various Approved for publication by the Director, April 10, 192 . 4 B ULl.E'l'l K No. 205 ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE The financial loss resulting from curly-top in Utah is probably greater than that caused by any other insect or plant disease affecting the sugar-beet. In fact, the disease has limited produc- FIG. 2-Leaves from curly-top beets showing the ch aracteristic roughening and distortion of the veins tion in certain sections to such an extent that some of the sugar factories have been unable to operate, and one factory has been moved to another state. Ordinarily most parts of Utah suffer little from curly-top; some sections, however, are affected practically ev~ry year, while many of the principal beet-raising areas suffer only during the . so-called "bad curly-top years." In 1924 the sugar-beet growers and sugar manufacturers 3 suffered a loss of more than $2,000,000 • The discouraging effect of such a loss caused a reduction in the acreage of beets the following year. This decrease has been unfavorable to the sugar companies throughout the state who gave information valuable in obtaining a comprehensive knowledge of general conditions, and who fre quently suggested situations of interest and importance in the work.