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.
Highlights
Truffles are one of the most economically valued non-wood forest products owing to their taste and aroma
The calculation is facilitated by the software “Virtual Truffle Hunting” [61], which was created to speed up the calculation
Based on the method used, two sites were classified as unfavorable for the growth of truffles and there was no fruiting of truffles or other species of hypogeous fungi
Summary
Truffles are one of the most economically valued non-wood forest products owing to their taste and aroma. These subterranean mushrooms are especially appreciated in countries that have been associated with their cultivation for many decades, including France, Italy, and Spain. Prices of the highly esteemed truffle species, for example, white truffle (Tuber magnatum Picco) and black truffle (Tuber melanosporum Vittad.), can even reach 2000–3000 Euro per kilogram [1,2]. In Poland, the most common species is the Burgundy truffle (Tuber aestivum Vittad.) [3,4,5]. Several other species of truffles that have no commercial value, including T. maculatum Vittad., T. excavatum Vittad., and T. rufum Picco, have been noted in various regions of the country [3,11]. Despite the relatively rich tradition of using truffles in Polish cuisine, the fungi have disappeared from the table for many years, but today, they are slowly coming back into favor [4,5]
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