Wireworms (Agriotes obscurus, Agriotes lineatus, Agriotes sordidus) are major pests of arable crops. Damage caused by these subterranean pests has increased following the withdrawal of many traditional synthetic insecticides. Wireworms are susceptible to entomopathogenic fungi belonging to the genus Metarhizium. The aim of this study was to determine if exposure of different wireworm species to sublethal doses of the insecticide spinosad altered their susceptibility to different strains of Metarhizium brunneum. Of the three wireworm species studied, A. obscurus was the most susceptible species to the isolates of M. brunneum tested, while A. lineatus and A. sordidus were not affected by the entomopathogen on its own. |