Abstract
While many crops are attacked each year by wireworms (Coleoptera: Elateridae), knowledge on their biology is still fragmentary and limited to a few species. The acquisition of knowledge on the biology and population dynamics of wireworms, the improvement of damage risk assessment methods and the development of sustainable protection strategies are urgent scientific, technical and economic challenges. In Europe, damage is mainly attributed to the genus Agriotes, as shown by the bibliography that is almost exclusively dedicated to them. Very few studies have been carried out on the other genera of elateridae, some of which are carnivorous, others detritivorous and many of which are unknown. This article presents a synthesis of the current knowledge on wireworms, more particularly on the genus Agriotes, and alternative strategies to pesticides for the management of their damage. After an overview of the current knowledge on wireworms, we discuss risk forecasting, an important step before planting a sensitive crop such as corn or potato, action levers to limit infestations and strategies to limit damage.