Entomopathogenic fungi in Portuguese vineyards soils: suggesting a '--bait method' as bait-insects and significantly underestimate the respective recoveries of and .

Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) are the natural enemies of insect-pests. However, EPF recoveries can be influenced by the soil habitat-type(s) incorporated and/or the bait-insect(s) used. (GM) as bait-insect, i.e. '-bait', is arguably the most common methodology, which is sometimes used solely, to isolate EPF from soils. Insect baiting using (TM) has also been employed occasionally. Here 183 soils were used to estimate the functional diversity of EPF in Portuguese Douro vineyards (cultivated habitat) and adjacent hedgerows (semi-natural habitat), using the TM bait method. Moreover, to study the effect of insect baiting on EPF recovery, 81 of these 183 soil samples were also tested for EPF occurrences using the GM bait method. Twelve species were found in 44.26% ± 3.67% of the total of 183 soils. Clonostachysroseaf.rosea was found in maximum soils (30.05% ± 3.38%), followed by (12.57% ± 2.37%), (9.29% ± 2.14%) and (6.01% ± 1.75%). ( < 0.001), C.roseaf.rosea ( = 0.006) and (=0.023) were isolated significantly more from hedgerows, highlighting their sensitivities towards agricultural disturbances. ( = 0.038) and ( = 0.003) were isolated significantly more using GM and TM, respectively. Principal component analysis revealed that was associated both with TM baiting and cultivated habitats, however, was slightly linked with GM baiting only. Ecological profiles of and were quite similar while and C.roseaf.rosea were relatively distant and distinct. To us, this is the first report on (a) isolation from Mediterranean soils, (b) as an EPF worldwide; and (c) significant recoveries of using TM over GM. Overall, a '--bait method' is advocated to study the functional diversity of EPF in agroecosystems.