More and more organic farmers lift potatoes which are damaged by wireworms (Agriotes spec. and Hemicrepidus niger). A nationwide status quo-analysis was carried out by the Chamber of Agriculture of North Rhine-Westphalia in 2002 and 2003. The survey included an intensive literature research, a questionnaire with 26 questions, on-site assessments, and on-farm trials. It was noticed that a long period of grass-clover cultivation in the crop rotation had a negative effect on the quality of potato tubers. Peas and lupines seemed to be the better pre-crops for a good quality of tubers in contrast to field beans and red clover. An autumn fertilization with manure resulted in a low feeding damage on potatoes by wireworms. Many perennial weeds some like twich-grass, dock and field thistle had a negative effect on the quality of potatoes fed by wireworms
