Characterization of natural habitats and diversity of Libyan desert truffles

Abstract

Desert truffles have traditionally been used as food in Libya. Desert truffle grows and gives fruit sporadically when adequate and properly distributed rainfall occurs with existence of suitable soil and mycorrhizal host plant. The present study aimed to identify and characterize two kinds of wild desert truffles from ecological and nutritional points that were collected from the studied area. The truffle samples were identified as (known as red or black truffle) and (known as white truffle). The nutritional values (protein, lipid and carbohydrate) of both Libyan wild truffle ( and were determined on a dry weight basis and result showed that and contained 16.3 and 18.5% protein, 6.2 and 5.9% lipid, 67.2 and 65% carbohydrate, respectively, in ascocarp biomass. The soil pH of the upper and lower regions of the Hamada Al-Hamra ranged between 8.2 and 8.5 giving suitable conditions for fructification. The plants, and were the dominant plants in Hamada Al-Hamra region found to form a mycorrhiza with desert truffles. The phylogenetic analysis of the genomic rDNA ITS region showed that, out of five collections three represented (Maire) Malencon, one (Desf.) Trappe, and one Chatin.

Molecular identification and genetic diversity study of the Iraqi truffles

“…A unique cluster of four T. pinoyi sequences under subgroup b1 that not matching with any reference sequences, which give a strong evidence to be possible unique a races, belong to the Iraqis habitat. Similar phylogenic study has been done by Bouzadi et al [5] in Libya, results showed all samples of Libyan truffle sequences were separated in a unique cluster, genetically far from the reference sequences, this approve a low genetic diversity for the individual separated glades. Also a previous study showed high genetic diversity for T. claveryi in Tunisia among the other species [14].…”

“…All the sequences were deposited in the NCBI GenBank and accession numbers were issued for all sequences start with MK478851 to MK910038 (Table 1). Many previous studies used the sequence of ITs region to identify truffles species [5,32].…”

“…Predominantly grow in the desert and live in ectomycorrhizal association with Helianthemum species locally name "Jaraida" [2]. The largest portion of truffles is locally consume, it's have a unique medicinal and organoleptic properties as well as their protein content (20-27%), and fiber (7-13%), and fat (3-7.5%), and ascorbic acid (2-5%), and also minerals, and 65-67% carbohydrate [3][4][5]. It has been reported that Terfezia claveryi and Tirmania nivea occur in deserts of salty and/or gypseous soils [6].…”

Detection of Tirmania pinoyi in Roots of Inoculated Cistaceae Plant Species by Nested Polymerase Chain Reaction

“…In the arid and semiarid ecosystems, mycorrhizal symbioses can promote growth and help their host plants to thrive by increasing the supply of nutrients, especially P from nutrient-stressed soils (Morte et al 2000), reducing water stress (Morte et al 2010), and improving soil aggregation in eroded soils (Caravaca et al 2003). Among desert truffles, Terfezia and Tirmania are well-known delicacies and largely marketed (Bouzadi et al 2017) and play an important role in the maintenance of rangelands by preventing erosion and desertification (Moreno et al 2000a). Much research has shown that desert truffles markedly increased the ability of root systems for nutrient capture and cycling in soils with low nutrient availability (Jeffries and Barea 2012); increased plant tolerance to environmental stresses such as acidity, drought, heavy metals, and salinity (Morte et al 2010; Bermaki et al 2017); improved the photosynthesis rate (Morte et al 2000); and promoted the vegetative growth.…”

Mycochemical composition and insecticidal bioactivity of Algerian desert truffles extract against two stored-product insects: Sitophilus oryzae (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) and Rhyzopertha dominica (F.) (Coleoptera: Bostrychidae)

“…In Algeria, T. claveryi is one of the most popular edible desert truffles. This fungal species is highly appreciated by several populations due to its high nutritional value (Bouzadi et al 2017;Vahdani et al 2017;Akyüz and Kirbag 2018) and its excellent medicinal properties. Several studies have demonstrated these therapeutic vertues, such as antimicrobial activity (Neggaz and Fortas 2013;Schillaci et al 2017;Malik et al 2018;Harir et al 2019), anticarcinogenic activity (Attia et al 2018;Dahham et al 2018;Al Obaydi et al 2020), and antioxidant activity (Al-Laith 2010; Dogan and Aydin 2013;Gouzi et al 2013;Hamza et al 2016;Neggaz et al 2018).…”