The Homoptera: Auchenorrhyncha fauna of plum orchards in an area of epidemic spread of plum leaf scald disease in mid-west Santa Catarina State, Brazil were surveyed in 1991 and 1992 to search for plum leaf scald vectors. The homopterans were sampled by sweeping net and yellow water pan traps and when possible submitted to ELISA assay to detect Xylella fastidiosa bacteria. A total of 112 species were caught, distributed in the families Aethalionidae (1 species), Cercopidae (7), Cicadellidae (64), Cixiidae (3), Delphacidae (5), Issidae (2), Membracidae (18), Tropiduchidae (1) and Psyllidae (11). X. fastidiosa was detected in cicadellids Agallia spp. (two species), Balclutha hebe (Kirk.), Bucephalogonia xanthophis (Berg), Chlorotettix minimus (Baker), Exitianus obscurinervis (Stal), Haldorus sp., and Plesiommata corniculata Young; and in cercopids Deois schach (F.) and Deois flavopicta (Stal). The arborean cicadellids collected in water traps, like Dilobopterus dispar (Germar) and Oncometopia sp., could not be tested in ELISA assay because of their bad conditions of conservation.
Insecta; Cicadellidae; plum leaf scald; stonefruit; Prunus salicina
