Western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera, is a significant pest of field corn in the United States. The larvae feed on roots of plants which causes a reduction in water intake, lodging, and yield loss. Management relies heavily on the use of insecticides and transgenic varieties. However, resistance to these tactics is of concern. Entomopathogenic nematodes have been shown to infect and kill corn rootworm larvae. Yet, it is unknown whether western corn rootworm populations from different regions vary in their susceptibility to entomopathogenic nematodes. The goal of this study was to assess the susceptibility of 18 regional lines of Western corn rootworm to five species of entomopathogenic nematodes. The results of this work will be presented.
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