Project Overview

Reports

Commodities

• Additional Plants: flowers, greenhouse, ornamentals, trees

Target Pests

• Target Pests: other

Practices

• Pest Management: biological control, biorational pesticides, botanical pesticides, chemical control, cultural control, economic threshold, eradication, host resistance, monitoring/scouting, pesticide application timing, pesticide resistance management, pesticides, precision pesticide use, prevention, sanitation, traps

Problem: The Two-Spot Cotton Leafhopper (TSCL), Amrasca biguttula, is an invasive pest recently detected in the southeastern United States. Native to the Indian subcontinent, TSCL feeds on cotton, okra, eggplant, hibiscus, and other crops, causing chlorosis, necrosis, defoliation, and yield loss. Its cryptic biology, rapid reproduction, and broad host range make detection and management difficult. TSCL has already spread across multiple states, threatening cotton production valued at more than $2 billion annually and posing risks to ornamental and vegetable sectors. The absence of harmonized diagnostics, sampling protocols, and outreach tools leaves growers and regulators without coordinated guidance. Immediate, multi-state action is required to prevent TSCL from becoming a widespread and economically devastating pest.

Approach: This project will establish a multi-state, cross-disciplinary working group to coordinate rapid response and deliver practical tools. Leadership is provided by a Project Director who is both an ornamental entomologist and chair of a national multistate research group, supported by three co-project directors: one vegetable entomologist and two cotton entomologists. Together, they ensure balanced coverage across sectors and proven capacity to manage multi-institutional projects. The project has two objectives. Objective 1 is to convene a one-day meeting of university, federal, and industry collaborators to finalize diagnostic templates, sampling protocols, and best management practices. The meeting will assign content leads, set a 60-day production timeline, and identify and rank research priorities using a survey modeled after recent efforts on spotted lanternfly and red-headed flea beetle. This structured process will provide a defensible roadmap for future research and regulatory priorities, while also strengthening communication channels among stakeholders and ensuring broad participation in decision-making. Objective 2 is to launch a practitioner-focused website, Stop2SCL.org, as a centralized hub for TSCL identification, sampling, and reporting. The site will host one-page guides and SOPs for cotton, vegetables, and ornamentals, plus a mobile-friendly photo and location reporting form routed to state and federal triage contacts. Downloadable PDFs will be available for frontline use. All materials will be concise, photo-rich, and designed for growers, extension agents, and nursery staff. Pilot usability checks will ensure practicality, and a lightweight evaluation plan will track meeting outcomes, content production, website analytics, and adoption. The working group includes 23 collaborators across eight states, plus USDA, industry, and extension partners. Letters of support from 17 researchers and eight stakeholders confirm a firm commitment. Editorial coordination will be led by ornamental, vegetable, and cotton entomologists, Bugwood specialists will configure the website, USDA-APHIS liaisons will define triage rules, and sector experts will adapt protocols for nurseries, vegetables, and cotton fields. Federal liaisons and grower delegates will provide practical insights and ensure rapid dissemination of outputs. Anticipated Impact: This initiative will deliver immediate outputs that support early detection, coordinated response, and practical management of TSCL. Outcomes include consensus on crop-specific priorities and sampling protocols, a mobile-accessible website with clear resources, and increased awareness and reporting through streamlined triage. The survey will yield a ranked list of research needs, guiding future proposals and regulatory coordination. Broad participation across eight states and multiple disciplines ensures credibility and adoption. By aligning diagnostics, outreach, and reporting, the project will help prevent TSCL from becoming a widespread pest and build regional capacity for coordinated IPM response. The leadership of the Project Director, with proven experience as chair of a national multistate group, provides the foundation for effective coordination, consensus building, and delivery of impactful outcomes. This collaborative framework will also strengthen long-term stakeholder networks, ensuring that outputs remain relevant and adaptable as pest pressures evolve.