Cotton Jassid Confirmed in Oklahoma

By Beck Barnes|September 7, 2026

The Oklahoma Department of Agriculture Food and Forestry (ODAFF) has received confirmation of the two-spot cotton leafhopper (aka cotton jassid) in a regulatory incident at two Oklahoma nurseries in central Oklahoma counties. The cotton jassid has not yet been detected in Oklahoma cotton.

The general cotton outlook for the state varies based on region. Dryland acres in southwest Oklahoma have been heavily impacted by drought and heat stress so if this pest were to move into this area, management would not have a return on investment. Many irrigated cotton acres in the state are approximately 3 – 4 weeks out from defoliation; in these acres, and in acres that were planted late, close monitoring for the pest is encouraged. The good news is this insect has a two-week life cycle, so if cotton jassids do make it into Oklahoma cotton, there likely will not be enough time in the season for their populations to build and cause widespread damage.

There is data from the southeastern United States on effective chemical control for the cotton jassid when insecticides are applied at the early signs of hopperburn. Details on how to identify the cotton jassid, associated damage called hopperburn, and insecticides with known efficacy based on trials from the Southeast, can be found here on Oklahoma State University Extension’s website.

If you suspect cotton jassid activity or see hopperburn symptoms, contact the OSU Cotton IPM team: Maxwell Smith (maxwell.smith@okstate.edu), Ashleigh Faris (Ashleigh.faris@okstate.edu), and Jenny Dudak (jdudak@okstate.edu) immediately for confirmation.