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Mycorrhiza (2009) 19:159165 DOI 10.1007/s00572-008-0224-z
ORIGINAL PAPER
Calcareous amendments to soils to eradicate Tuber brumale from T. melanosporum cultivations: a multivariate statistical approach
Inmaculada Valverde-Asenjo &
Luis G. Garca-Montero & Asuncin Quintana &
Javier Velzquez
Received: 2 October 2008 /Accepted: 22 December 2008 / Published online: 22 January 2009 # Springer-Verlag 2009
Abstract Calcareous amendments are being used in Tuber melanosporum truffle plantations in attempts to eradicate Tuber brumale. However, there are no studies available which provide soil analysis and statistical data on this topic. We studied 77 soil samples to compare the values for carbonates, pH and total organic carbon in T. brumale truffires with the values for T. melanosporum truffires on contaminated farms and in natural areas. Statistical analyses indicate that the concentrations of active carbonate and total carbonate in the soil are significantly higher in T. brumale truffires than in T. melanosporum truffires, but that there are no significant differences in pH and total organic carbon. We conclude that liming would not suppress T. brumale ectomycorrhizas in contaminated T. melanosporum
farms, and calcareous amendments do not therefore seem be a means of eradicating T. brumale in these farms.
Keywords Ectomycorrhizae . Liming . Truffle culture . Tuber brumale . Tuber melanosporum
Introduction
Truffles are a highly profitable cash crop growing in the forests of many Mediterranean regions, and the cultivation of Tuber melanosporum Vittad. (Prigord black truffle) has spread throughout many countries in recent decades. The ectomycorrhizas of other species such as Tuber brumale Vittad. contaminate T. melanosporum brls (zones around the host trees free of vegetation) reduce their carpophore production and pose formidable problems for those trying to optimise T. melanosporum cultivation (Chevalier and Frochot 1997; Callot 1999; Lefevre and Hall 2001; Riousset et al. 2001; Olivier et al. 2002; Ricard 2003; Sourzat 2005).
It is not known how T. melanosporum and T. brumale interact with each other in T. melanosporum brls and the biological and physicalchemical properties of soil. Experiments have been proposed to study this in planted truffires (the truffle-producing area; Mamoun and Olivier 1993a, b) using molecular techniques to detect their mycorrhizas (Rubini et al. 1998; Paolocci et al. 1999; Giomaro et al. 2002; Douet et al. 2004). Other researchers have underlined the importance of conducting studies on...