Ag News

Cotton jassids detected on okra at Tifton Experiment Station

On June 10, researchers at the UGA Tifton Experiment Station collected five adult cotton jassids in about 100 sweeps of okra fields.

According to UGA Extension Entomologist Phillip Roberts, jassids have also been found in Grady County.

Jassids were found in 82 Georgia counties in 2025, including nearly all of the coastal plain.

Left uncontrolled, the tiny insects can cause extensive damage to a number of crops grown in Georgia. They reproduce on at least 25 plant species (okra appears to be their preferred host plant, but they are also known to inhabit cotton, eggplant, hibiscus and sunflowers in Georgia) by inserting their eggs into plant tissue. While feeding, the insects introduce a toxin that causes “hopper burn” on the leaf tissue, inhibiting photosynthesis and eventually resulting in reduced yield.

Hopper burn is characterized by puckering of leaf tissue, which also turns shades of yellow, red and brown.

Roberts said in January that early detection and pesticide application largely kept the insects under control in 2025, noting that if field sweeps find one jassid on at least 25 leaves, it is time to make the first pesticide application. Left untreated, the potential damage and resulting yield loss is more extensive. Research trials where jassids were untreated showed a mean yield loss of 13 percent with a range of 1 to 46 percent. 

Jassids quickly build pesticide immunity, a trait often present in rapidly reproducing insect species, which Roberts said makes it important for growers to vary which pesticides they use.

UGA’s pesticide trials showed good control with use of any of the following products:  Argyle, Bidrin, Carbine, Courier, Vertento, Sefina, Sivanto and Venom provided good control. Products that provided moderate control were Admire Pro, Assail, bifen+imid, Centric, Orthene and Transform.

For more on the cotton jassid, click here.

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