Abstract
The Burgundy truffle (Tuber aestivum Vittad.), an ectomycorrhizal fungus living in association with host plants, is one of the most exclusive delicacies. The symbiosis with deciduous oak, beech, and hazel dominates our concept of truffle ecophysiology, whereas potential conifer hosts have rarely been reported. Here, we present morphological and molecular evidence of a wildlife T. aestivum symbiosis with Norway spruce (Picea abies Karst.) and an independent greenhouse inoculation experiment, to confirm our field observation in southwest Germany. A total of 27 out of 50 P. abies seedlings developed T. aestivum ectomycorrhizae with a mean mycorrhization rate of 19.6 %. These findings not only suggest P. abies to be a productive host species under suitable biogeographic conditions but also emphasize the broad ecological amplitude and great symbiotic range of T. aestivum. While challenging common knowledge, this study demonstrates a significant expansion of the species' cultivation potential to the central European regions, where P. abies forests occur on calcareous soils.
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Acknowledgments
Supported by the Eva Mayr-Stihl Foundation, the Gesellschaft zur Förderung der forst- und holzwirtschaftlichen Forschung an der Universität Freiburg and the WSL-internal Disentangeling Truffle Ecology (DITREC) project. We thank WSL and FoBot staff, D. Montwe, and S. Fink for their help.
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Fig. S1
Sample sites I and II bearing fruit bodies of T. aestivum in pure P. abies stands (JPEG 2210 kb)
Fig. S2
Distinctive features of T. aestivum mycorrhiza on P. abies fine roots: (a) Mantle structure with typical angular cells. (b) Curly, red–brown, nonramified cystidia (JPEG 78 kb)
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Stobbe, U., Stobbe, A., Sproll, L. et al. New evidence for the symbiosis between Tuber aestivum and Picea abies . Mycorrhiza 23, 669–673 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00572-013-0508-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00572-013-0508-9