Fera Science has launched a cutting-edge wireworm DNA barcoding test, designed to help growers accurately identify wireworm species to help protect potato, veg and arable crops from escalating damage.
Part of Fera’s ENIGMA I research project, the new tool has been developed to meet the urgent need for more effective wireworm integrated pest management (IPM).
Principal Fera entomologist, Dr Larissa Collins, led the project, and explains the findings have revealed that climate change is creating more favourable conditions for wireworm populations.
“There are over 60 species of wireworms in the UK but only a handful are crop pests; others do no harm, and some are even predators of the crop-damaging species. This means that understanding which species are present is critical to managing pest populations effectively,” she says
The new DNA barcoding test can help growers pinpoint exactly which wireworm species are present in their fields. This will help to optimise pest management decisions to minimise crop damage and ensure that interventions, including cultural controls and insecticides, are used in the most effective way. “Accurate pest identification is the first critical step in sustainable integrated pest management,” she adds.
Industry collaboration
The new solution is a direct outcome of Fera’s ENIGMA I research project, a partnership involving Blackthorn Arable, the Elveden Estate, G’s Growers, inov3PT, Pearce Seeds and Syngenta.
The project involved analysing over 13,000 field-collected click beetles to study wireworm life cycles, responses to increasing temperatures, damage patterns, and risk factors across multiple crops, revealing the six wireworm species most concerning for UK growers.
Dr Collins explains: “We’ve worked closely with industry partners to develop a test to identify wireworms which are not possible to identify by visual examination.
“Growers purchasing a test will receive a kit to return to us with wireworms in for testing, and if needed, we can supply a bait bag to help with collecting the wireworms,” she says.
“Using the samples, we can also measure the wireworms to give an indication of larval instar, so the timing of the lifecycle can also be used to make decisions about crop rotation and control measures.”
The test makes identification of species, even small wireworms, possible, providing growers with actionable insights to implement IPM measures and reduce damage.
This research project has been crucial in developing a framework for sustainable pest management. “These informative tools are becoming increasingly important to help farmers and agronomists make fully informed decisions,” adds Dr Collins.
To find out more or get involved with Fera’s next wireworm project please visit: https://www.fera.co.uk/crop-health/wirewormdna.html
