In the Midwest and Eastern US, PLH are considered the most damaging insect pest to alfalfa yield and quality. PLH damage can lead to stunting, lower yields, reduced crude protein content, loss of forage palatability, and loss of stand density.
Here's some general information on PLH damage and management.
General Information
PLH control is generally needed during July and August in the Midwest and Eastern U.S.
Hot growing conditions can cause PLH populations to increase very quickly.
Pay special attention to new seedings and 3rd crop regrowth.
Threshold: 1 adult in 10 sweeps. Adults at threshold are an indication deadly immatures are not far behind. Immatures (nymphs) are the most damaging stage of PLH.
Do not spray stubble for PLH control; wait for 3-4 inches regrowth or about 5-6 days to entice PLH back into fields.
PLH can cause severe damage to alfalfa plants before the yellow “burn” appears on leaves; Use a sweep net to detect PLH before symptoms appear. Once symptoms appear, damage is already done.
Damage:
PLH causes a yellow V-shaped “hopper burn” pattern on leaves. Cell sap is extracted from plants, damaging the plant’s plumbing system (phloem and xylem), restricting water and nutrient flow.
“Hopper burn” is a result from the PLH injecting a toxin during nutrient extraction. Once the classic yellow Vshaped pattern appears, the damage is done. Purple coloration often occurs as plant sugars produced in leaves are unable to be processed normally.
Stunted plants will have reduced root growth, water usage and weeds can often gain advantage.
Reduces yield potential; yield losses up to 0.5 DM Ton/acre per cutting or more.
Reduces quality and crude protein, increases nondigestible NDF fiber levels resulting in reduced forage intakes and palatability.
Weakens alfalfa plant health allowing for other foliar diseases and stress to alfalfa.
New seedings are especially susceptible to PLH damage and can result in yield
CROPLAN Forage Specialist Jeff Jackson provides more information on potato leafhoppers in alfalfa in this video:
Contact your local Premier agronomist for more information on PLH management.
I hope you were able to enjoy Thanksgiving with family and friends. And I hope you’ve recovered from your food coma. For the 10 of you (including my mom) who read my newsletter, you’ve seen how I’ve been promoting propane gas appliances and the available rebates. A couple of years ago, I was invited to attend a webinar and the folks on the webinar were claiming that if you’re seeing electrical power outages now, it may be multiplied by up to 100 times in the future if there is no more additional electrical generation. Of course that was a worst-case scenario, but it got me thinking.
With harvest wrapped up across the countryside, it’s a natural time to reflect on the year and the results of all the hard work put into this season’s crops. From there, we start thinking about what else can be done to keep that success going.
We have recently wrapped up our latest fiscal year audit, and I am happy to report that your cooperative experienced another solid year in 2025. A notable achievement includes continued year-over-year growth from our feed division. Our energy team also maintained their steady performance and improved results over 2024. While grain farming was handed a more challenging year in 2025 with market volatility, high input costs, and trade uncertainty, the agronomy division pulled back from some of the recent highs but was able to grow volumes and services for their members. Each division ended the year with strong sales and positive earnings. Premier will report fiscal 2025 net savings of just over $15 million and total revenues at $285 million.
