title: Spatio-temporal dynamic of Tuber magnatum mycelium in natural truffle grounds.
abstract: Tuber magnatum produces the world's most expensive truffle. This fungus produces very rare ectomycorrhizas which are difficult or even impossible to detect in the field. A "real-time" PCR assay was recently developed to quantify and to track T. magnatum mycelium in soil. Here, this technique was used to investigate the spatial distribution of T. magnatum extra-radical mycelium in soil productive patches and its dynamic across seasons. This study was carried out in four different natural T. magnatum truffle grounds located in different Italian regions. During the fruiting seasons, the amount of T. magnatum mycelium was significantly higher around the fruiting points and decreased going farther away from them. Moreover, T. magnatum mycelium inside the productive patches underwent seasonal fluctuations. In early spring, the amount of T. magnatum mycelium was significantly higher than in summer. In summer, probably due to the hot and dry season, T. magnatum mycelium significantly decreased, whereas in autumn it increased again and was concentrated at the putative fruiting points. These results give new insights on T. magnatum ecology and are useful to plan the most appropriate sampling strategy for evaluating the management of a truffle ground.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Sciences, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Mirco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, L'Aquila University, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Agraria, Sassari University, Sassari, Italy.
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lancellotti
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science, Siena University, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Salerni
authors.affiliation: Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, L'Aquila University, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Marilena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oddis
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Sciences, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leonardi
authors.affiliation: Department of Life Science, Siena University, Siena, Italy.
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perini
authors.affiliation: Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, L'Aquila University, L'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pacioni
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Sciences, Bologna University, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zambonelli
mesh_terms: D001203:Ascomycota / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D004271:DNA, Fungal / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D025282:Mycelium / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development*; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012621:Seasons; D012988:Soil Microbiology
chemical_list: D004271:DNA, Fungal