Overview
- Citing Report No. 39 with data from March 17 to April 1, the national network found an exponential rise in Dalbulus maidis, the leafhopper that spreads Spiroplasma, across major maize regions.
- NOA and NEA showed the heaviest pressure, with 67% of localities in each region capturing more than 100 insects per trap, while Litoral, Centro-Norte and Centro-Sur also posted sharp increases.
- Maizar said nearly all of the 2025/26 maize has passed its most vulnerable growth stage, so current infection risk is low for this crop.
- Field checks noted foliar symptoms in some sites and labs found moderate levels of the Corn Stunt pathogen in insects from three NOA localities, signaling localized infectious pressure.
- Experts urge tighter trap monitoring, crop inspections and sending insects to the UNNOBA‑CICBA lab to assess infectivity, with the push shaped by 2023/24 losses and a BCR outlook for a record 62 million tonnes this season.