Open AccessMycelial abundance and other factors related to truffle productivity in Tuber melanosporum – Quercus ilex orchards
Author(s) -
Suz Laura M.,
Martín María P.,
Oliach Daniel,
Fischer Christine R.,
Colinas Carlos
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
fems microbiology letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.899
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1574-6968
pISSN - 0378-1097
DOI - 10.1111/j.1574-6968.2008.01213.x
Subject(s) - mycelium , truffle , productivity , biology , ectomycorrhizae , botany , horticulture , abundance (ecology) , mycology , agronomy , mycorrhiza , ecology , symbiosis , genetics , bacteria , economics , macroeconomics
Relative quantification of DNA from Tuber melanosporum mycelia was performed by conventional and real‐time PCR in soil from trees in three truffle orchards of different ages to determine: (1) whether burn appearance is related to the amount of T. melanosporum mycelium in soil, and (2) whether productivity onset and truffle production are related to (a) the amount of T. melanosporum mycelium in soil, (b) tree height and diameter, (c) burn extension and (d) surface rock cover. The burn seems to appear only after a certain amount of mycelium has formed. Precociously productive trees presented higher quantities of mycelium than nonproductive trees in the productivity onset study, while highly productive trees presented less quantities of mycelium than nonproductive trees in the productivity study. Trees with high but not excessive surface rock cover showed greater truffle production. Larger trees tended to display a burn earlier than smaller trees.