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Effects of Tuber borchii inoculation on Pinus pinea 3 years after establishment along a latitudinal gradient in the Southern Hemisphere

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Abstract

Stone pine (Pinus pinea) produces a highly demanded dried fruit, the pine nuts; Tuber borchii produces a well-known commercialized truffle. Thus, the co-culture of P. pinea and T. borchii may represents an interesting productive option. This work evaluated the effect of T. borchii inoculation on stone pine tree growth, survival, health, entry into cone production, and mycorrhization level during the first 3 years after establishment along a 2000 km gradient in Chile. We tested two treatments (inoculation and non-inoculation) in a multi-environment trial (MET) involving seven sites along Chile. Plantations were repeatedly measured during 3 years after establishment. In all environments, inoculation enhanced tree height, root collar diameter (RCD) and crown diameter (6.9, 10 and 8.3% higher for inoculated than for non-inoculated plants). Vigor was also favored (14.1% more vigorous trees). Stone pine performance was enhanced in all sites, but mainly in those with extreme environmental conditions. T. borchii mycorrhizae were abundant (over 60% of mycorrhized root apexes) 3 years after establishment. The truffle-host plant combination was not previously evaluated in Chile. The results showed high root colonization levels and the persistence of mycorrhization 3 years after establishment, and an enhanced effect of mycorrhization on tree growth and vigor under different soil and climate conditions, confirming the high plasticity of both species.

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Data availability

The datasets generated and analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due to institutional guidelines. They are available from the author upon request.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Dr. Davide Sisti from Urbino University, Italy, for assisting in seedling mycorrhization certification in nursery, and Jorge González from INFOR, for assisting with molecular authentication procedures.

Funding

Trial establishment and measurements were funded by the Foundation for the Agriculture Innovation (FIA) [Development of a combined truffle and stone pine nut productive model, profitable productive alternative in a scenario of increasing hydric restrictions, PYT-2016-0038]. Analyses were funded by the Chilean Ministry of Agriculture [Development and contributions for the use of high value forest and fruit-forest species for Chile, INFOR] and by ANID BASAL FB210015.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chilean Forest Institute (INFOR), Sucre 2397, Ñuñoa, Santiago, Chile

    Verónica Loewe-Muñoz & Claudia Delard

  2. Centro Nacional de Excelencia para la Industria de la Madera (CENAMAD), Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Santiago, Chile

    Verónica Loewe-Muñoz & Rodrigo del Río

  3. Centro Sperimentale di Tartuficoltura, Via Macina 1, 61048, Sant’Angelo in Vado, Italy

    Gianluigi Gregori

  4. CONICET UFYMA Biometry Unit, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Av. Haya de La Torre S/N, Córdoba, Argentina

    Mónica Balzarini

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  1. Verónica Loewe-Muñoz
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  2. Claudia Delard
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  3. Rodrigo del Río
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  4. Gianluigi Gregori
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  5. Mónica Balzarini
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Contributions

VL wrote most of the paper. CD directed the project that funded the study, and designed the study along with MB, GG and VL. CD was in charge of measurements and field activities and contributed to the paper elaboration. RDR and MB performed the statistical analyses, elaborated figures and collaborated in information gathering and analysis. GG directed the inoculation and evaluation of mycorrhization and participated in the preparation of the paper. All authors discussed the results and implications, and commented on the manuscript at all stages.

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Correspondence to Verónica Loewe-Muñoz.

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Loewe-Muñoz, V., Delard, C., del Río, R. et al. Effects of Tuber borchii inoculation on Pinus pinea 3 years after establishment along a latitudinal gradient in the Southern Hemisphere. Agroforest Syst 98, 369–381 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-023-00915-2

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