Effect of Soil Chemical Properties on the Occurrence and Distribution of Entomopathogenic Fungi in Portuguese...

Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) contribute to different ecosystem services. However, factors affecting their natural occurrences in soil remain poorly understood. In a previous study, 81 soil samples were subjected to insect baiting using Galleria mellonella and Tenebrio molitor to isolate EPF from Portuguese vine farms. Here, soils yielding any of the four common EPF, i.e., Beauveria bassiana, Purpureocillium lilacinum, Metarhizium robertsii, and Clonostachys rosea f. rosea, were correlated with their chemical properties. Beauveria bassiana was negatively affected by higher available P (p = 0.02), exchangeable K-ions (p = 0.016) and positively affected by higher soil pH_H₂O (p = 0.021). High exchangeable K-ions inhibited P. lilacinum (p = 0.011) and promoted C. rosea f. rosea (p = 0.03). Moreover, high available K also suppressed P. lilacinum (p = 0.027). Metarhizium robertsii was inhibited by higher organic matter content (p = 0.009), higher C:N (p = 0.017), total N (p = 0.007), and exchangeable Mg-ions (p = 0.026), and promoted by higher exchangeable Na-ions (p = 0.003). Nonetheless, mean comparisons and principal component analysis suggested that higher soil pH and exchangeable Ca-ions have contrasting effects on EPF occurrences, as they promote B. bassiana and inhibit M. robertsii. Herbicides did not seem to affect EPF presence. Overall, this study is among the first reports on the effects of soil chemistry on EPF other than Metarhizium, and will facilitate biological pest management approaches.