Exploration in The Argentine Republic for Parasites of the Beet Leafhopper, Eutettix tenellus (Baker)1

Abstract

Because of reports that the beet leafhopper, Eutettix tenellus (Baker), as well as Argentine curly top of sugar beets which is transmitted by Agallia stieticollis Stal, was found in the Argentine Republic, an exploration was undertaken in that country for parasites of the insect. Investigations covering a period of seven and one-half months were conducted in the provinces of Tucuman, San Juan, Mendoza, Buenos Aires, and the territories of La Pampa and Rio Negro. Beets having typical curly top foliage symptoms were found in all of these localities excepting Rio Negro, although no beet leafhoppers were taken. Favorable host plants belonging to the Chenopodiaceae and other families were swept without a single specimen of E. Teneilus being captured. These plants included the most important food and breeding plants of the insect in California, viz., Australian saltbush (A triplex semibiccata), red orache or red scale (A. rosea), Russian thistle (Salsola kali) , red stem filaree (Erodium cicutarium), and nettle leaf goosefoot (Chenopodium murale). Insect collections of several museums and private entomologists were examined and no beet leafhoppers were present. The Eutettix sp., which greatly resembles E. tenellus, was captured in almost every locality in which beets or Swiss chard were growing.