|
Summary: some institutes of research have adopted biomolecular
methods to analyse and identify mycorrhizae although mycorrhization techniques
haven’t achieved good results yet. This is particularly true in regard
to the Tuber magnatum from which is difficult to have the germination
of the spores: process which is at the base of the mycorrhizae formation.
We hope that the research will find new ways of enquiry both to stimulate
the spores and the development of the mycelium in its vegetative and sexual
phase of reproduction. It would mean having the fruit-carpophore, improperly
called truffle, but it is what the truffle-growing wishes to achieve.
Even solving the problems here described the future of truffle-growing
will be productive.
Truffle historical past has always been told by many in a suggestive
way whereas the scientific point of view hasn’t transmitted us much.
The present has inherited from the 70s a truffle-growing which can be
defined as a science: Fassi, Palenzona and Fontana created, in a laboratory
in Turin, the first mycorrhizae. This experience, once brought to France,
has been elaborated by Gerard Chevalier and others. It cannot be forgotten,
however, that the first mycorrhization of symbiotic plants had been made,
some years earlier, by Mannozzi Torini who was the first to practise the
sterilization of potting soil: a practice still alive that, however, in
the light of some modern conceptions, must be revised.
In the early 80s I had the opportunity of attending a study-congress,
as a relator, with two eminenr scholars: Arturo Cerruti and Anna Fontana.
They examined thoroughtly several situations, therefore they have always
advised to be cautioned about truffle-growing. It is useless, however,
the presumption according to which the black truffle can grow only when
cultivated whereas the white one cannot.
All serious operators know very well how things are but the truth is that
a product can be considered such only if it increases the market!
Can we say so for the cultivated Tuber magnatum ? Everyone should draw
his own conclusions.
Some institutes of research have recently decided to identify mycorrhizae
through biomolecular techniques but it must also be said that mycorrhizae
can be identified if in existence! In many cases, unfortunately, such
premiss doesn’t work since it has been difficult to produce mycorrhizae
under controlled conditions, as in the case of the Tuber magnatum, because
of the difficulty of making the spores germinate which, as it is known,
is the first step to the formation of mycorrhizae and then of truffles.
We wish that the research will find new ways of inquiry particularly about
the germination of the spores, how to produce mycelium and how to stimulate
in them the sexual phase of reproduction which means having the fruit,
the carpophore, improperly called truffle, or rather all that truffle-growing
proposes for its aims. We rejoice in the fact that, in some institutes
of research, something has been done and hope that better results will
follow. We are grateful to the organizers of many study-congresses which,
regularly after that of Spoleto provide, with their own proceedings, a
basis and a connecting line for further paths of research and observation.
During the meeting of L’Aquila, in march 1992, the idea of the possible
existence of the saprophyte truffle excited curiosity and fear in those
who believed in truffle as completely dependent on plants. The reading
of the proceedings helped us to understand what is the crux of the truffle
problems as for example whether to sterilise potting soil or, in antithesis,
to introduce into it micro-organisms such as bacteria as we learn from
the meeting of L’Aquila, Scannerini,1992, in regard to bacterial
stocks associated with the micorrizic Laccaria laccata truffle.
This work deserves attention because many are the questions and considerations
which can lead to the truffle-growing future.
The bacterium taken into consideration is named Helper, and Scannerini
takes the opportunity to say in a propitiatory tone: "we hope that
the Helper will help us to solve the mysterious problem of truffle".
Some other authors of the meeting of L’Aquila let us infer that some
sorts of Tuber live together both in the same plants and in the same truffle-ground
and that competition between several truffles cannot be absolute but rather
it must be inferred some sorts of synergy. Moreover the supposed Sphaerosporella
brunnea attempt on the Tuber magnatum doesn’t seem to be true, because
it has been found that the micorrizic action of this mushroom derived
from greenhouse environmental conditions. The problems that are met with
in the growing of the magnatum are, however, not those of competition
but those related to the difficulty of the germination of spores and to
other parameters which are to be faced by the research work. From hence
it must be inferred that the supposed competitiveness between mushrooms
and, therefore, between truffles must be reconsidered. Antonio Ceruti,
during the study-congress in Langhe Liguri, remembered that in the plants
are combined, into a coherent whole, not only sugars and amino acids but
also considerable quantities of substances rich in energy, such as ATP
and NADPH, which go directly down to the roots. It is necessary to ask
then what happen, beyond roots and mycorrhizae, in the mycelial net?
Why plants need interaction with truffles to receive mineral salts?
Plants could intensify their radical apparatus instead of relying on truffles
hyphae: this let us assume that they do so for a better quality of salts
as well as for quantity. It is possible then to assume that an energetic
conveyance, that is of an electric kind, happen to be between the micelial
net and the roots through a connecting line called mycorrhizae!
This subject leads us to take into account the presence of water into
the ground as a primary element of the circulating solution indispensable
for the exchange and the ionic transfer. This can be partially governed
and particularly influenced during summer months through the use of a
huge water support that avoids the leaching out of the truffle-grounds
soil or rather the washing away of nutriments.
The relationship between "godmother" plants, such as the vine,
the olive and the rose, and symbiont plant is another topical subject
which needs further studying; a study whose aim is to establish the real
reasons of the influence of these vegetals on the production of the carpophore.
In order to do that, team investigations are at work and pedologists,
botanists, geologists and truffle-seekers are working together to determine
the influence and the mutual relationship between forest trees, shrubs
and herbaceous plants present in the truffle-ground. Synergetic plants
are endomicorrizic, therefore not suitable to have direct nutritional
relationships with the truffle. It can be supposed, however, that their
presence produce better edaphic conditions of differentiation and of development
such as a greater oxygenation and structure of the soil; a better percolation
of the water into the profile, with its transfer of food, which derive
from their radical apparatus. Pedologists have made clear many soil feature
whereas truffle-seekers have realised that mulching, especially that with
straw, causes asphyxia, produces a low effect on the soil because of the
hydrogenionic concentration (pH)- which goes below 7 - and makes the production
of T. melanosporum inferior to that of winter truffles and of other less
valuable truffles. From the 70s truffle-growing, at least in Italy, hasn’t
done much but dedicate itself to an arbitrary and not controlled greenhouse
practice whose only aim is to make money.
However, interesting experiences have already been done such as the reproduction
of the stone instead of from the seed, from the layer on shoot of plants
already productive and with truffle-grounds soil.
The essential importance of this experiment lies, even for those who believe
in the hereditariness of the truffle inclination, in the fact that the
layer, contrary to the seed, transfers such genetic heredity to descendant
plants.
In the future of truffle-growing there is certainly the rescue of "still"
truffle-grounds which, for many reasons, do not produce any longer. It
will be necessary to single out the biological reasons of this productive
interruption and to remove them in order to stimulate production in truffle-grounds.
It is a heritage that cannot be abandoned. In Italy thousands of melanosporum
truffle-grounds have been ruined by the hoeing of inconsiderate people.
In France, from Var to Provence, to Perigord there is a great number of
melanosporum truffle-grounds which have been abandoned from the 70s because
of the transplantation of mycorrhizaed plants. Since in France it is the
most important truffle, it would be useful, in order to bring melanosporum
truffle-grounds into use again, to assess and to carry out those techniques
already tried in Italy. The commercial achievement of the magnatum, thanks
to its culinary qualities, cannot allow either a stasis or a slackening
in the experimental research: it is necessary, therefore, to sweep away
the causes that have reduced its production.
The black and the white truffle are two great realities in Italy, but
while the black truffle growing is by now a noteworthy socio-economic
reality with a sure future, the white truffle production must start again
from the protection of natural truffle-grounds in production and the rescue
of those made sterile by several conditions caused by man: the tillage
using heavy means which erode, along the ditches, the magnatum habitat;
the cementation of the bottom of the valley according to crazy pseudo
land reclamations; the cutting of symbiont plants; a bad use of chemical
artificial products such as fertilizers and weed-killers; the disputable
scientific research and greenhouse practise; the tenacity with which thousands
of unprepared truffle-seekers crowded truffle-grounds, cut roots with
inadequate tools and uncover them: all that without a specific supervision
as happens, on the contrary,for hunting and fishing.
Much has been told about the animals, such as insects, birds and mammals,
which take part in the truffle reproductive cycle, but much less about
the main character in the life of truffle: the dog.
Although an Italian act says that truffles must be harvested by dog aid,
it is actually the dog who hunts truffles by man aid. It doesn’t
exist just a truffle dog but truffle dogs of different breeds. Each of
them is endowed with traits corresponding to different features of the
productive environment.
In the future there will be a fast dog for harvesting plantations (Picture
No.4), a calm dog for finding out a newly ripe magnatum from one metre
deep (Picture No.2), a retriever for rich and superficial truffle (Tuber
aestivum and its variety) (Picture No.3) and, when the international quarantine
will be swept away, a small size dog, to take with around Europe, Tasmania,
Oregon, Africa and China for harvesting local truffles.
How interesting should be to dig the famous chinese truffle named "indicum"
with dogs. That could tell us its real value since Tibetans harvest it
unripe and with hoes, thus hiding its quality. It is useful to start spreading
the theory of the SENSE ANALYSIS to teach people how it is possible to
distinguish, avoiding many frauds tricks, the chinese truffle from the
excellent melanosporum with their eye, touch, taste and smell only.
Europe is the home of truffle and in the near future around this noble
TUBER should spring out an international federation that bind together
France, Spain and Italy.
All the presuppositions are there to let us hope that such an "European
Group" will come to light during the international meeting of Aix.
For some years now chairmen of italian and french federations have met
many times to plan a common action towards truffles: an experimental research
in truffle-growing, professional training, the creation of an act and
of an European rule.
In their late meeting, in the French city of perfumes, Italian and French
people, with their truffles and their dogs, organised the first bilateral
manifestation with a competition of dog hunters and a gastronomic show
in a wonderful scenery like that of Grasse and Côte D’Azur
which, together with Liguria, have, for the first time, bound two nations
in the name of the precious TUBER.
|
Domenico BIGIONI
Presidente Federazione Nazionale Associazioni Tartufai Tartuficoltori Italiani
|
