W.E. PARKER
ADAS, Woodthorne, Wolverhampton, WV6 8TQ, United Kingdom
L. FURLAN
University of Padova, Agripolis-Via Romea 16-35020 Legnaro PD, Italy
M. TOTH
Hungarian Academy of Science, Budapest, Pf 102, H-1525, Hungary

INTRODUCTION
The basis for the intensive use of insecticides for the control of wireworms is largely unsubstantiated, and may well have negative economic and environmental effects.  Despite this, basic research on Agriotes species has been neglected for many years. However, in recent years, a number of European countries have initiated research programmes on wireworms covering topics such as biology, novel risk assessment techniques, thresholds and chemical and non-chemical control. This reflects growing concerns about wireworms in Europe, and the relative lack of current research effort on wireworms in North America, where such work is no longer seen as a priority. The results from recent work done on wireworm biology and new monitoring devices are described in other presentations of the XXI IWGO Conference. Nevertheless, active wireworm researchers in Europe are not fully aware of the efforts of scientists in other countries. There is therefore a lack of standardisation or comparison of experimental techniques, and no overt prioritisation and co-ordination of research goals. Some ‘unofficial’ co-ordination of work has been done under the auspices of the IWGO, but this needs to be extended into all areas of European wireworm research.

RESEARCH PRIORITIES
As a starting point for formulating a bid to the European Commission (assuming a suitable theme is identified under the Framework VI Programme or LIFE), we propose that the following research themes are those which have the highest priority in terms of preventing over-use of insecticides for wireworm control:
Theme 1: Biology of wireworms of agricultural importance
Completing studies on the biology of the key wireworm species through controlled experimental studies, particularly the duration of the larval (wireworm) phase of the life-cycle; comparative work on the same species in different countries to determine the extent to which life-cycle duration is innate or governed by climatic factors.
Theme 2: Development and validation of novel risk assessment techniques
The evaluation of the relationship between catches of click beetles recorded by using the new sex pheromone traps and the level of wireworm infestation in the soil.
Theme 3: Development of sustainable control techniques
Determine of the level of damage caused by different population of wireworms to crops grown in participating countries.  This work will improve the scientific basis of predicting damage caused by wireworms, and will enable those fields unlikely to benefit from insecticide treatment to be identified reliably.

EXTENSION PRIORITIES
Specific efforts must also be made to transfer the information gathered to farmers in all participating countries.  This will be done by writing a booklet on best practice in wireworm management that can be posted on a web-site, translated into the languages of participating countries, and used as a resource by national extension agencies from which to produce local promotional material.