Psyllid pest of leucaena

Abstract

In March 1986, the Department of Primary Industry found a new insect pest which causes serious damage to the tree Leucaena leucocephala (local name: lantoro). The insect has been identified as a psyllid. Its scientific name is Heteropsylla cubana. The psyllid originally came from the Southern United States and South Amer­ica. It was probably carried to Papua New Guinea via other Pacific countries by moving air masses. The insect is present on leucaena throughout all lowland areas of Papua New Guinea and also in some high­land provinces.