Cultivation and mating of the truffle Tuber japonicum in plantations of ectomycorrhizal Quercus serrata seedlings.

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Truffles are highly prized as a delicacy, but only a select few species have been successfully cultivated. In our study, we succeeded for the first time in cultivating Tuber japonicum. Two out of four plantations produced ascocarps shortly after planting, with one of them yielding a comparable weight to other cultivated truffle species. This promising productivity suggests that the fungus has potential when cultivated. Our analysis of the ascocarps' maternal and paternal genotypes, using simple sequence repeat markers, revealed hermaphroditic behavior in the fungus at our planting site. Our findings provide crucial insights into the truffle mating events.