COMPARISON OF 2 SAMPLING METHODS FOR LEAFHOPPERS (HOMOPTERA, CICADELLIDAE) ASSOCIATED WITH SESAME IN THE EAST MEDITERRANEAN REGION OF TURKEY

Yellow sticky-traps and a modified Johnson-Taylor suction-trap were us ed to index the relative population dynamic of leafhoppers associated with sesame in the east Mediterranean region of Turkey. Comparison of the obtained results signified important differences between both trap s. 32 leafhoppers species were caught in the suction-trap while only 1 8 species were determined on yellow sticky-traps. For most of the leaf hopper species, relatively more males were determined on the yellow-tr aps than in the suction-trap, indicating a higher activity of male lea fhoppers during daytime hours. A close relationship between the season al flight pattern as indexed by sticky-traps and by suction-trap was o nly observed for Asymmetrasca decedens (Paoli) and Empoasca decipiens Paoli. For most other leafhopper species no or only a very poor correl ation for the relative population dynamic was determined between both traps. Important leafhopper vector species, e.g., Circulifer haematoce ps (Mulsant et Rey) and Orosius orientalis (Matsumura) were better rep resented in yellow sticky-trap catches than they were in the suction t rap.