The AD-type ectomycorrhizas, one of the most common morphotypes present in truffle fields, result from fungi belonging to the Trichophaea woolhopeia species complex

Pinewood nematode infection alters root mycoflora of Pinus tabulaeformis Carr

AIMS

This study investigates pinewood nematode's impacts on root mycoflora of Pinus tabulaeformis.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The biomass, colonization rate, community structure and diversity of root-associated fungi were investigated in pinewood nematode-infected and nematode-noninfected P. tabulaeformis. The results indicated that the roots of P. tabulaeformis were colonized highly by root-associated fungi, mainly ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECMF) and dark septate endophytes. Infection of pinewood nematode was associated with a significant (P < 0·05) decrease in root colonization rates by ECMF, dark septate endophytes and total hyphae, as well as in fungal biomass in the roots. Illumina MiSeq sequences of tagged amplicons of 18S rDNA region revealed Basidiomycota (65·70%) and Ascomycota (34·14%) as the dominant root-associated fungi in roots of P. tabulaeformis. Among the detected operational taxonomic units (OTUs), ECMF and dark septate endophytes exhibited a higher relative abundance in trees infected by pinewood nematode compared with noninfected ones.

CONCLUSIONS

The infection of pinewood nematode altered the composition and OTU abundance of root-associated fungi community in P. tabulaeformis roots with a decrease in the biomass, species richness and diversity of root-associated fungi, as well as in the colonization rates and abundance of ECMF and dark septate endophytes.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY

This study is an important contribution for better understanding the interaction between pine wilt disease and root-associated fungi.

Cultivation of Mediterranean species of Tuber (Tuberaceae) in British Columbia, Canada

Based on an assessment of soil and climatic conditions in British Columbia (BC), the Truffle Association of British Columbia (TABC) determined that the cultivation of Mediterranean Tuber melanosporum and Tuber aestivum might be possible in the warmer parts of the province. With the cooperation of independent truffle growers, TABC assessed the colonization of host tree roots collected from eight truffle orchards planted 2-7 years earlier using morphological and molecular criteria. Both Tuber species persisted on the roots of inoculated trees in six of the eight truffle orchards studied. The identity of Tuber ectomycorrhizas that had been characterized morphologically as differing from those of T. melanosporum and T. aestivum were determined using DNA sequence analysis to belong to three species of truffles native to the Pacific Northwest. One of those species, Tuber anniae, had been previously reported from BC, but the other two, Tuber menseri nom. prov. and Tuber beyerlei, are reported here from BC for the first time. Recently, production of three Périgord black truffles in one truffle orchard and one Burgundy truffle in another orchard demonstrates that these truffles are able to fruit in BC.

Assessment of ectomycorrhizal biodiversity in Tuber macrosporum productive sites

Tuber macrosporum Vittad. is a truffle with superb organoleptic properties, whose cultivation is still in its infancy. For the first time we have aimed to provide information on ectomycorrhizal communities in natural and cultivated T. macrosporum sites. Ectomycorrhizal morphotypes were identified using ITS nrDNA sequencing and sorted into molecular operational taxonomic unit (MOTU). We detected 16 MOTUs in the T. macrosporum cultivated plantation. Ascomycota were the most abundant (86.4%) with Helvellaceae, Pyronemataceae and Pezizaceae the most common. Twenty-two MOTUs were collected in the natural T. macrosporum site. Basidiomycota morphotypes were plentiful (70.6%) and Thelephoraceae dominated. Each site had different taxa belowground with only T. macrosporum in common, being more abundant in the natural (18.2%) than in the cultivated (14.4%) site. Species richness, Simpson and Shannon diversity indices, taxonomic diversity, distinctness and variation of taxonomic distinctness were lower in the cultivated than in the natural site.

Ectomycorrhizal fungus diversity and community structure with natural and cultivated truffle hosts: applying lessons learned to future truffle culture

Since the first truffle plantations were established in France, Italy and other parts in the world, many studies have been carried out to improve their productivity and sustainability. Success of plantations is clearly related to the mycorrhizal status of the host trees over the years, from inoculated seedlings to truffle-producing trees. The experience gained in monitoring the ectomycorrhizal fungus status in cultivated truffle grounds has allowed us to develop an extensive catalogue of the ectomycorrhizal fungi present in truffle plantations. Herein, we summarize fungal community data from 85 references that represent different truffle studies in natural habitats and plantations. Approximately 25% of the ectomycorrhizae reported in the 85 references are common to most of the studies. In general, more fungal species are detected in productive plantations than in the non-productive ones. Truffle plantations display a diverse ectomycorrhizal fungal community, in which species of the genus Tuber are well represented. Tuber rufum and some members of Boletales are typically restricted to productive truffle plots. On the other hand, Hebeloma, Laccaria and Russula species are mostly associated with unproductive plots. Ectomycorrhizae belonging to Thelephoraceae are frequently found in mature truffle orchards but do not seem to affect sporocarp production. Several biotic and abiotic factors affect the ectomycorrhizal fungus communities associated with truffle orchards. Among them are plantation age, host species and its growth, the surrounding environment (particularly the presence of other ectomycorrhizal hosts), and plantation management. Understanding the ectomycorrhizal fungal communities inhabiting different plantations may give us clues about the dynamics of the targeted truffles and the possibility of identifying mycorrhizal fungal species that are good indicators of successful truffle plantations.