engleski

Ecological characteristics of commercially most important truffle species (Tuber spp.) in Croatia

All the members of genus Tuber (truffles) are hypogeous mycorrhizal fungi. Some truffle species are highly commercially recognized and expensively priced in food markets because of their significant culinary value. In Croatia, the three most commercially valued species are Tuber magnatum, T. aestivum and T. melanosporum. All three species are being foraged with the help of trained dogs. As a result of insufficient research on these fungal species, the available data on their local population characteristics in Croatia is very limited. As a part of ongoing study on the ecology of T. aestivum (summer truffle), the most widespread species out of the three already mentioned, the mycorrhizal associations, climatological parameters, physical and chemical soil properties, and habitat and soil types associated with the ascomata were analyzed. The dependence of the distribution of summer truffle on ecological characteristics of the species was discussed. Tuber magnatum (white truffle) is the most commercially valuable truffle species worldwide and in Croatia it is most commonly collected in Istrian peninsula. The attempts to cultivate T. magnatum in completely artificial plantations have almost all failed so far and the natural habitats where this species can be found are fairly vulnerable to overexploitation. It is dependent on alkaline soils with high levels of moisture in order to propagate and produce mature ascomata. Tuber melanosporum (black truffle) occurs on alkaline soils with scarce nutrients. The possible impact of climate changes on the production of ascomata of the commercially important species of truffles was discussed.

biogeography ; distribution ; edible fungi

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