Virtual Truffle Hunting—A New Method of Burgundy Truffle (Tuber aestivum Vittad.) Site Typing

Abstract

The aim of this study was to enable searches for truffles (Tuber spp.), particularly the Burgundy truffle (T. aestivum Vittad.), to be carried out in forests based on a method that has been constantly developed since 2007 by the Forest Research Institute. The method is termed “Virtual Truffle Hunting” and it takes 12 parameters into account: bedrock, soil pH, Ca+ and CaCO3 content in soil, C/N ratio, soil structure, altitude of terrain, type of forest site, forest structure, the Burgundy truffle host trees, and the presence of particular species including orchids and insects. A simple “Virtual Truffle Hunting” software has also been developed, which makes the use of the method easy, fast, and effective. This method is to ascertain the truffle potential for all areas in which digital maps are not available. In 2015, the method was tested in 20 sites, representing forests in 5 Polish macroregions. Hunting for hypogeous fungi was conducted from June to October with the help of trained dogs. Thanks to this method, 14 new truffle sites were found. The knowledge of environmental conditions conducive to the Burgundy truffle growth enabled us to form an effective tool in order to identify new sites of truffle presence.

Effects of Black and White Mulch on Mycelial Growth of Tuber Species in Korean Field Environment

“…However, T. melanosporum , a typical Mediterranean species [ 16 , 31 ], prefers the Mediterranean climate and has an environmental habitat opposite to that of Korea [ 32 ], resulting in low mycelial biomass in this study. The pH preference for mycelium growth also varies depending on the species [ 14 , 33 ]; in this study, T. koreanum, a native species previously described to have optimal mycelium growth at a pH of 6.0 [ 34 ], showed low mycelial biomass at the experimental site, which had a pH of 8. In contrast, T. borchii has a wide host range and adaptability to various environmental conditions [ 35–37 ], as well as the potential for cultivation in areas where it has not previously been found.…”

High Species Diversity but Low Specificity to Ectomycorrhizal Tree Partners Exhibited by Native Truffle Species (Tuber spp., Pezizales) in Poland, Central Europe

“…Only four truffle species (T. aestivum, T. brumale, T. mesentericum, and T. borchii) out of all 16 truffle species are classified as tasty and can be commercially used. However, all except T. aestivum are known from a limited number of localities in Poland, and with the increasing pressure of truffle hunting [10,64], may become endangered in the wild.…”

Ectomycorrhizal Assemblages of Invasive Quercus rubra L. and Non-Invasive Carya Nutt. Trees under Common Garden Conditions in Europe

“…It would explain the observed differences in the abundance of lineage /tuber-helvella but not /genea-humaria, which form the same short-distance exploration type of ectomycorrhizas as Tuber. Moreover, native trees in the surroundings, e.g., Tilia cordata, Carpinus betulus, Fagus sylvatica, and Q. robur, are tree partners of numerous native truffles [39,55,[74][75][76], as well as commercial species used in truffle orchards [74,77].…”