^РЕФ: We investigated the population dynamics of Metarhizium anisopliae during peanut growth and the effect of phoxim and manure on population dynamics. The applied population of M. anisopliae initially decreased rapidly, then slowly, and finally stabilised or revived. The 50% decline in the original three rates of treatment appeared at 41.8-57.6 days; however, the populations decreased towards similar levels at harvest time. Phoxim clearly inhibited the fungal growth and conidiation on the medium. Germination was reduced by half or was completely absent when conidia were inoculated on media containing 25 or 100 ppm phoxim. The colony number decreased by 20-65%, and the colonies grew more slowly, conidiated less and faded in colour on media containing 25-200 ppm phoxim. However, normal growth and enhanced conidiation were restored when they were subsequently subcultured on normal media. Adding phoxim or manure to the fungal treatment in potting soil caused the population to decrease faster within the first 16 days but rebound and level off after 30 days. In the field, the M. anisopliae populations at peanut harvest dropped to approximately 10% of their initial levels, regardless of whether the fungus was applied alone or with phoxim or manure. We speculated that low concentrations of phoxim might stimulate M. anisopliae sporulation and proliferation, and that manure might increase space and nutrient competition between soil microbes and increase M. anisopliae proliferation. aref1