Molecular diversity of the Metarhizium anisopliae lineage in an agricultural field

Abstract: Entomopathogenic fungal isolates identified by morphology as Metarhiziumanisopliae may belong to different species when identified by molecular characters. We isolatedMetarhizium spp. from a Danish agricultural field using Tenebrio molitor as bait insect to assessthe molecular diversity within the soil of a single field. Isolates were analyzed using DNAsequencing and applying SSR markers. Within the former M. anisopliae lineage, we foundM. brunneum (86.3%), M. robertsii (11.3%) and M. majus (3.4%) in the soil samples. Severalgenotypes of each species were identified based on SSR markers. Differences in abundance ofthe species and their genotypes suggest different adaptations to the soil environment of theagricultural field.