Glass-winged cicada threatens German potato harvest – rubbery failures!

Glass-winged cicada threatens German potato harvest – rubbery failures!

What's going on in agriculture? A secret but serious problem is currently spreading through the fields of Bavaria: the reed leafhopper, a small insect only three to eleven millimeters in size, is causing serious crop failures. This little animal transmits a bacterium that causes the plant disease Stolbur, and it targets several types of vegetables. Potatoes and sugar beets are particularly affected, as they have already suffered massive losses in quality in many companies. According to Bild, the affected potatoes are often rubbery and therefore no longer usable.

In recent years, Stolbur has repeatedly raised red flags in agriculture - and not without reason. A spokesman for the Ministry of Agriculture in Baden-Württemberg described the situation as a “serious threat” to the domestic supply of potatoes, vegetables and sugar. The situation has also reached Bavaria: Since the beginning of June, the government has issued warnings in twelve districts to combat cicadas, and farmers have been allowed to use special insecticides with emergency approval.

Critical crop failures

The numbers speak for themselves: In some regions of Baden-Württemberg, crop failures of up to 70 percent for potatoes and up to 25 percent for sugar beets are reported. These drastic losses mean that many farms have to seriously question whether they can continue cultivation. The cicada, which came to us primarily from France, is spreading rapidly across Rhineland-Palatinate, Hesse, Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. But the situation is also tense in Bavaria, because vegetables such as beetroot, celery, cabbage, onions and carrots are also affected, as SWR reports.

Experts also report a worrying dependence on the weather: a hot and dry summer favors the proliferation of cicadas, which brings additional challenges for farmers. There is currently no effective protection due to this plant disease, so farmers are hoping for sprays to at least limit the decline in yields.

A ray of hope for consumers

A consolation for consumers: Stolbur does not pose a health risk to humans. The affected potatoes and vegetable products are not sold. So don't panic the next time you go shopping! Nevertheless, it is clear that the situation remains critical. The President of the German Farmers' Association, Joachim Rukwied, expresses great concern about the spread of the cicada. In Rhineland-Palatinate, the cicada has already caused complete crop failures, which is putting further pressure on the market.

Farmers now have hope for the emergency approval for crop protection products, which was granted in April. This is currently valid for 120 days, and at the end of May the approval was expanded to include other vegetables. However, this presupposes that effective means will soon be approved for regular use in order to deal with the ongoing challenge that Tagesschau sees as a constant threat to domestic agriculture.