This paper aimed to study leafhopper's populational dynamics and constancy on herbaceous vegetation of a sweet orange orchard (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck, Valencia variety) in southern Brazil. The survey was performed with sweeping net method, from February/2001 to January/2002. Monthly, 10 samples of 50 sweeps were taken in the herbaceous vegetation between orchard's lines (n = 500 sweeps/sampling). A total of 928 individuals were collected, belonging to nine species: Bucephalogonia xanthophis (Berg, 1879), Diedrocephala variegata (Fabricius, 1775), Hortensia similis (Walker, 1851), Macugonalia leucomelas (Walker, 1851), Parathona gratiosa (Blanchard, 1840), Plesiommata corniculata Young, 1977, Sibovia sagata (Signoret, 1854), Sonesimia grossa (Signoret, 1854), and Tapajosa rubromarginata (Signoret, 1855). The highest abundance was registered in summer and spring. Hortensia similis and M. leucomelas were the only species considered constant during the survey. Leafhopper abundance was lower in the April and December, probably due to abiotic factors (rainfall) and vegetation structure (plants height) effects.
Agroecology; constancy; Citrus sinensis; populational fluctuation; sweep net
