Abstract BACKGROUND The tea leafhopper, Empoasca onukii Matsuda (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae), is a major pest of tea plants in China. Here, we evaluated the repellent properties of eight volatile chemicals alone and in various combinations as tools for the management of this pest in tea gardens. These chemicals were from the Alliaceae and other aromatic plants, and are known to repel various insect species. RESULTS Among the eight volatile compounds, dimethyl disulfide (DMDS), 1,8‐cineole and allyl methyl sulfide were significantly repellent towards E . onukii adults. DMDS and 1,8‐cineole were mixed to formulate a binary repellent. Under field conditions, spraying and slow‐release applications of the mixture significantly decreased the density of E. onukii adults. The repelling effect after spraying was very short, only ∼ 2 days, but the slow‐release mixture had a longer term repelling effect on E . onukii adults. High emission of the slow‐release mixture, which was achieved by increasing the number of slow‐release bottles, had a stronger repellent effect than low emission. Moreover, when the amount emitted was sufficient, the slow‐release mixture significantly decreased the number of leafhopper nymphs in a treated tea‐plant line, and significantly decreased the number of leafhopper adults and nymphs in a tea‐plant line adjacent to the treated area. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates the repellent action of a mixture of DMDS and 1,8‐cineole applied by a slow‐release method against E. onukii in a tea plantation. This mixture has potential applications in integrated pest management schemes. © 2019 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.