Fertilisation of Quercus seedlings inoculated with Tuber melanosporum: effects on growth and mycorrhization of two host species and two inoculation methods

S Garcia-Barreda,S Reyna,S Molina-Grau

doi:10.3832/ifor2096-009

S Garcia-Barreda, S Reyna + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3832/ifor2096-009

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Abstract

Modern truffle cultivation is based on use of inoculated seedlings, which should exhibit highly colonised roots as well as a vegetative quality enhancing field plant performance. However, poor shoot and fine root growth has been a frequent issue in inoculated Quercus seedlings production. Fertilisation is a common solution in forest nurseries, but high fertilisation levels have been found to inhibit the formation of ectomycorrhizas of many fungal species. The influence of slow-release fertilisation (52 mg N, 26 mg P and 36 mg K per seedling) on growth and ectomycorrhizal status of Tuber melanosporum-inoculated seedlings was evaluated. Host species Quercus ilex and Quercus faginea and inoculation methods involving root-dipping and root-powdering were tested. Fertilisation increased weight of both host species without significant detrimental effects on ectomycorrhizal colonisation, showing that it can be effectively used in inoculated seedlings production. Both host species showed similar response to fertilisation. The inoculation method affected seedling weight and ectomycorrhizal status, suggesting that some inoculant carriers are able to damage Quercus development and T. melanosporum colonisation. The study provided an important basis for fine-tuning the use of fertilisers in truffle-inoculated seedling production.

Highlights

The European black truffle (Tuber melanosporum Vittad.) is an ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungus extensively cultivated due to its gastronomic value and decline of wild production (Reyna & Garcia-Barreda 2014)
We compare the effect of fertilisation on Q. ilex and Q. faginea, a faster-growing species (Sanz-Pérez et al 2007), and we evaluate the use of fertilisation in two inoculation methods, root-dipping and root-powdering, both applying inoculum onto roots, with different carrier materials
Total dry weight of seedlings was positively affected by fertilisation (P

Summary

Introduction

The European black truffle (Tuber melanosporum Vittad.) is an ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungus extensively cultivated due to its gastronomic value and decline of wild production (Reyna & Garcia-Barreda 2014). More than 2,000 ha of agricultural lands are afforested in southern Europe (mainly France, Italy and Spain) by entrepreneurs to produce black truffle, most of them with native Quercus as host plants (Reyna & Garcia-Barreda 2014). Modern truffle cultivation is based on planting nursery-inoculated seedlings on suitable lands, with appropriate edaphoclimatic environment for the fungus to complete its life cycle and with low EM inoculum potential (Sourzat 2008). High quality inoculated seedlings must exhibit a root system abundantly colonised by T. melanosporum (Andres-Alpuente et al 2014, Murat 2015). Montañana 930, 50059 Zaragoza (Spain); (2) Centro de Investigación y Experimentación en Truficultura de la Diputación de Huesca, Polígono Fabardo s/n, 22430 Graus (Spain); (3) Fundación Centro de Estudios Ambientales del Mediterráneo, C/ Charles Darwin 14 Parque Tecnológico, 46980 Paterna (Spain); (4) ETS Ingeniería Agronómica y del Medio Natural, Universitat Politècnica de València, Camino de Vera s/n, 46021 Valencia (Spain)

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