Abstract
Aim of study: The diversity of ectomycorrhizal fungal communities (EM) above (EMFb) and below (EMMt) ground associated with Quercus cerris L., Q. pubescens Willd., and Pinus nigra J.F.Arnold was analyzed.Area of study: A 20 year-old orchard that produces Tuber aestivum truffles, located a few kilometers from Chiusi della Verna (latitude 43° 41’ 53’’; longitude 11° 56’ 9’’) in Tuscany (central Italy) was observed.Material and Methods: This investigation combined analyses of EMFb, EMMt, T. aestivum productivity, different host trees, and statistical data on community ecology.Main results: The EM communities showed high species richness and differed slightly in relation to both the host tree and their location above or below ground, providing frequent findings of Tricholoma and Tomentella, respectively. Positive correlations were found between the number of truffles and host trees, and between the weight and number of truffles and EMFb.Research highlights: Mycorrhizal fungi and truffle production are not in competition.Key words: Fungal communities; fruiting bodies; morphotypes; Tuber aestivum; competition; Italy.
Highlights
Tuber aestivum Vittad. is the highly prized fruiting body of a hypogeous ascomycete (Chevalier and Frochot, 1989) that forms ectomycorrhizae in order to promote plant-assimilate uptake for fungal growth and to enhance the water and nutrition uptake of the host plant (Pennisi, 2004; Smith and Read, 2008)
In this study we analyzed the diversity of ectomycorrhizal fungal communities above and below ground associated with Quercus cerris L., Q. pubescens Willd., and Pinus nigra J.F.Arnold
These fungal species were the most abundant when the three different host trees were observed separately: the most abundant species in the area with Quercus cerris was Laccaria laccata (11.948), in the Pinus nigra area Tricholoma terreum (6.882) and, among the few species found in the Q. pubescens area, Tuber aestivum had the highest productivity and frequency (Table 1)
Summary
Tuber aestivum Vittad. is the highly prized fruiting body of a hypogeous ascomycete (Chevalier and Frochot, 1989) that forms ectomycorrhizae in order to promote plant-assimilate uptake for fungal growth and to enhance the water and nutrition uptake of the host plant (Pennisi, 2004; Smith and Read, 2008). Besides its biological relevance for the functioning of ecosystems, the truffle is an important economic factor in many southern European regions (Chevalier and Frochot 1989). It is reported from Spain across Eastern Europe and China, and from Gotland (Sweden), as far as North Africa (Song et al, 2005), and is considered the most widespread truffle species in Europe (Gryndler et al, 2011; Hall et al, 2007). The first cultivated T. aestivum truffles were collected from an orchard of inoculated greenhouse seedlings in the late 1970s (Chevalier and Grente, 1979). The role that interspecific competition plays in determining EM community
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