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New Perspectives on Tuber Fungi
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New Perspectives on Tuber Fungi

A special issue of Journal of Fungi (ISSN 2309-608X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2025 | Viewed by 6912

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Beatrice Belfiori

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Research Council, Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, Via della Madonna Alta, 130-06128 Perugia, Italy
Interests: fungal biodiversity; genotyping; population genetics; genomics; life cycle; plant-fungus interactions; plant and soil microbiome
Dr. Claudia Riccioni

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
National Research Council, Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, Via della Madonna Alta, 130-06128 Perugia, Italy
Interests: fungal genomics; population genetics; biodiversity; molecular taxonomy; ecology; life cycle; microbiome analysis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Many aspects of the biology and ecology of hypogeus ectomycorrhizal fungi, such as truffles, remain largely unknown, both in terms of their mysterious life cycle and their ecological determinants for the fructification.

Some species of the genus Tuber are renowned worldwide for their organoleptic traits, thus having a considerable economic value, and are harvested in wild forests, as well as cultivated.

Unfortunately, the natural production of truffles has actually been declining, resulting in low and uncertain yields. Satisfying explanations for this decrease in both natural and cultivated truffle yields are still lacking, even though different factors have been suggested as possible explanation for this decline, including climate change and unsustainable over-harvesting.

Despite exciting advances in several research fields, our understanding of several aspects surrounding truffle biology, ecology, preservation strategy, and cultivation management still remain limited.

In this Special Issue, articles (original research papers, reviews, and opinions) dealing with various aspects related to biological and ecological requirements underlying the production mechanisms of this economically important fungal delicacy are welcome.

The scope of this Special Issue includes, but is not limited to, the following themes:

  • Analyses of genetic diversity, spatial, and temporal distribution patterns of strains in the field and population structure (on both large and small scales);
  • Life cycle and reproductive strategy;
  • Evolution and phylogenetics analyses;
  • Truffle ecology;
  • Microbial communities interacting with truffle fungi;
  • Planning actions to protect and preserve truffle natural resources and environment;
  • Optimization of truffle cultivation management strategies;
  • Genome sequencing and RNAseq analyses.

Dr. Beatrice Belfiori
Dr. Claudia Riccioni
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Journal of Fungi is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • truffles
  • tuber
  • reproductive system
  • truffle cultivation
  • genetic diversity
  • genomics
  • phylogeography
  • microbial community
  • preservation
  • ecology

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 4327 KiB  
Article
The Expanding Truffle Environment: A Study of the Microbial Dynamics in the Old Productive Site and the New Tuber magnatum Picco Habitat
by Mara Rondolini, Maurizio Zotti, Gilberto Bragato, Leonardo Baciarelli Falini, Lara Reale and Domizia Donnini
J. Fungi 2024, 10(11), 800; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10110800 - 19 Nov 2024
Viewed by 572
Abstract
Truffles are valuable underground mushrooms with significant economic importance. In recent years, their cultivation has achieved satisfactory results, but not for all species. The harvesting of white truffles (Tuber magnatum Picco) is still dependent on natural production, which is at risk due [...] Read more.
Truffles are valuable underground mushrooms with significant economic importance. In recent years, their cultivation has achieved satisfactory results, but not for all species. The harvesting of white truffles (Tuber magnatum Picco) is still dependent on natural production, which is at risk due to various issues, such as improper forest management. A useful practice to protect natural resources is to promote the expansion of productive forests. In this study, we investigate the dynamics of the microbiome in an old and new truffle forest using an amplicon sequencing approach of the fungal ITS region and the prokaryotic 16S rRNA gene. We monitor the soil biological community’s development to compare differences and similarities between the primary productive forest and the expanding area over a two-year sampling period. In particular, we observed the colonization of vacant ecological niches by certain fungi, such as those belonging to the genus Mortierella. Additionally, we examined the competitive interactions between saprotrophs and ectomycorrhizal fungi (ECM). In both study areas, the bacterial community was dominated by Pseudomonadota, Planctomycetota, and Actinomycetota. The behavior of the Tuber genus differed significantly from other ECMs and displayed positive correlations with bacterial taxa such as Ktedonobacter, Zavarzinella, and Sphingomonas. The present work provides an initial overview of expanding white truffle habitats. Further, more specific research is needed to explore potential connections between individual taxa. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives on Tuber Fungi)
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13 pages, 950 KiB  
Article
Application of Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (QMRI) to Evaluate the Effectiveness of Ultrasonic Atomization of Water in Truffle Preservation
by Alessia Marino, Marco Leonardi, Alessandra Zambonelli, Mirco Iotti and Angelo Galante
J. Fungi 2024, 10(10), 717; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10100717 - 15 Oct 2024
Viewed by 574
Abstract
Truffles of the Tuber genus (Pezizales, Ascomycetes) are among the most valuable and expensive foods, but their shelf life is limited to 7–10 days when stored at 4 °C. Alternative preservation methods have been proposed to extend their shelf life, though they may [...] Read more.
Truffles of the Tuber genus (Pezizales, Ascomycetes) are among the most valuable and expensive foods, but their shelf life is limited to 7–10 days when stored at 4 °C. Alternative preservation methods have been proposed to extend their shelf life, though they may alter certain quality parameters. Recently, a hypogeal display case equipped with an ultrasonic humidity system (HDC) was developed, extending the shelf life to 2–3 weeks, depending on the truffle species. This study assesses the efficacy of HDC in preserving Tuber melanosporum and Tuber borchii ascomata over 16 days, using quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (QMRI) to monitor water content and other parameters. Sixteen T. melanosporum and six T. borchii ascomata were stored at 4 °C in an HDC or a static fridge (SF) as controls. QMRI confirmed that T. borchii has a shorter shelf life than T. melanosporum under all conditions. HDC reduced the rate of shrinkage, water, and mass loss in both species. Additionally, the Apparent Diffusion Coefficient (ADC), longitudinal relaxation time (T1), and transverse relaxation time (T2), which reflect molecular changes, decreased more slowly in HDC than SF. QMRI proves useful for studying water-rich samples and assessing truffle preservation technologies. Further optimization of this method for industrial use is needed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives on Tuber Fungi)
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14 pages, 4453 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Mycorrhization Trends and Undesired Fungi Species in Three- and Six-Year-Old Tuber aestivum Plantations in Hungary
by Akale Assamere Habtemariam, Péter Cseh, Balázs Péter, Ádám Heller, Peter Pitlik, Sára Brandt, Péter László and Zoltán Bratek
J. Fungi 2024, 10(10), 696; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10100696 - 7 Oct 2024
Viewed by 674
Abstract
Tuber aestivum is a key truffle species with significant ecological and economic value. Despite its importance, plantation success can be influenced by soil pH, host plants, and undesired fungi. This study examines how soil pH and host plants influence mycorrhization trends in T. [...] Read more.
Tuber aestivum is a key truffle species with significant ecological and economic value. Despite its importance, plantation success can be influenced by soil pH, host plants, and undesired fungi. This study examines how soil pH and host plants influence mycorrhization trends in T. aestivum plantations across six plant species in eight Hungarian settlements, using root sampling and DNA analysis to assess plantations at three and six years of age. Tuber aestivum achieved over 30% mycorrhization, with Carpinus betulus showing the highest levels. DNA analysis identified eight undesired mycorrhizal fungi, with Suillus spp. (42.9%) and Scleroderma spp. (31.4%) being the most prevalent. The study found that T. aestivum preferred a soil pH of around 7.6, while undesired fungi thrived in slightly acidic conditions. Additionally, soil pH significantly and positively influenced T. aestivum mycorrhization; however, factors such as plantation age also contributed to mycorrhization trends. While mycorrhization by undesired fungi decreased with higher soil pH, it increased as plantations matured from three to six years. These findings highlight the need for the effective management of soil pH and the control of undesired fungi to optimize T. aestivum mycorrhization, emphasizing the importance of targeted strategies and further research for sustainable truffle cultivation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives on Tuber Fungi)
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21 pages, 4979 KiB  
Article
Three New Truffle Species (Tuber, Tuberaceae, Pezizales, and Ascomycota) from Yunnan, China, and Multigen Phylogenetic Arrangement within the Melanosporum Group
by Rui Wang, Gangqiang Dong, Yupin Li, Ruixue Wang, Shimei Yang, Jing Yuan, Xuedan Xie, Xiaofei Shi, Juanbing Yu, Jesús Pérez-Moreno, Fuqiang Yu and Shanping Wan
J. Fungi 2024, 10(9), 640; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10090640 - 7 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1228
Abstract
Based on a multi-locus phylogeny of a combined dataset of ITS, LSU, tef1-α, and rpb2 and comprehensive morphological analyses, we describe three new species from the Melanosporum group of genus Tuber and synonymize T. pseudobrumale and T. melanoexcavatum. Phylogenetically, the three [...] Read more.
Based on a multi-locus phylogeny of a combined dataset of ITS, LSU, tef1-α, and rpb2 and comprehensive morphological analyses, we describe three new species from the Melanosporum group of genus Tuber and synonymize T. pseudobrumale and T. melanoexcavatum. Phylogenetically, the three newly described species, T. yunnanense, T. melanoumbilicatum and T. microexcavatum, differ significantly in genetic distance from any previously known species. Morphologically, T. yunnanense is distinctly different from its closest phylogenetically related species, T. longispinosum, due to its long shuttle-shape spores (average the ratio of spore length to spore width for all spores (Qm) = 1.74). Tuber melanoumbilicatum differs from the other species in having a cavity and long shuttle-shaped spores (Qm = 1.65). Although T. microexcavatum sampled ascomata have relatively low maturity, they can be distinguished from its closely related species T. pseudobrumale by the ascomata size, surface warts, and spore number per asci; additionally, phylogenetic analysis supports it as a new species. In addition, molecular analysis from 22 newly collected specimens and Genebank data indicate that T. pseudobrumale and T. melanoexcavatum are clustered into a single well-supported clade (Bootstrap (BS) = 100, posterior probabilities (PP) = 1.0); and morphological characteristics do not differ. Therefore, based on the above evidence and publication dates, we conclude that T. melanoexcavatum is a synonym of T. pseudobrumale. By taking into account current knowledge and combining the molecular, multigene phylogenetic clade arrangement and morphological data, we propose that the Melanosporum group should be divided into four subgroups. Diagnostic morphological features and an identification key of all known species in the Melanosporum group are also included. Finally, we also provide some additions to the knowledge of the characterization of T. pseudobrumale, T. variabilisporum, and T. pseudohimalayense included in subgroup 1 of the Melanosporum group. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives on Tuber Fungi)
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12 pages, 1889 KiB  
Communication
Comprehensive Characterization of Tuber maculatum, New in Uruguay: Morphological, Molecular, and Aromatic Analyses
by Francisco Kuhar, Eva Tejedor-Calvo, Alejandro Sequeira, David Pelissero, Mariana Cosse, Domizia Donnini and Eduardo Nouhra
J. Fungi 2024, 10(6), 421; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10060421 - 14 Jun 2024
Viewed by 1128
Abstract
Although only a few species of Tuber account for the major truffle sales volume, many species that are not considered delicacies are finding their way to the market, especially in regions where the traditionally appreciated ones do not occur. This is the case [...] Read more.
Although only a few species of Tuber account for the major truffle sales volume, many species that are not considered delicacies are finding their way to the market, especially in regions where the traditionally appreciated ones do not occur. This is the case for whitish truffles. Specimens of whitish truffles were collected in pecan (Carya illinoinensis) orchards in Uruguay in October 2021. Morphological and molecular methods were used to characterize and assess their identity as Tuber maculatum Vittad. An SPME extraction of volatile compounds and GC–MS analyses were performed to characterize the aromatic profile of these specimens and evaluate their potential applications. Among the 60 VOCs detected, 3-octenone (mushroom odor), 3-octanol (moss, nut, mushroom odor), and 2H-pyran-2-one (no odor), followed by octen-1-ol-acetate (no odor) and 2-undecanone (orange, fresh, green odor) were the major compounds in T. maculatum fruiting bodies. The attributes of exotic edible mushrooms of commercial value in the region are highlighted. In particular, this work emphasizes the characteristics of truffles as a byproduct of pecan cultivation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives on Tuber Fungi)
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22 pages, 6656 KiB  
Article
Changes in Black Truffle (Tuber melanosporum) Aroma during Storage under Different Conditions
by Ruben Epping, Jan Lisec and Matthias Koch
J. Fungi 2024, 10(5), 354; https://doi.org/10.3390/jof10050354 - 15 May 2024
Viewed by 1141
Abstract
The enticing aroma of truffles is a key factor for their culinary value. Although all truffle species tend to be pricy, the most intensely aromatic species are the most sought after. Research into the aroma of truffles encompasses various disciplines including chemistry, biology, [...] Read more.
The enticing aroma of truffles is a key factor for their culinary value. Although all truffle species tend to be pricy, the most intensely aromatic species are the most sought after. Research into the aroma of truffles encompasses various disciplines including chemistry, biology, and sensory science. This study focusses on the chemical composition of the aroma of black truffles (Tuber melanosporum) and the changes occurring under different storage conditions. For this, truffle samples were stored under different treatments, at different temperatures, and measured over a total storage time of 12 days. Measurements of the truffle aroma profiles were taken with SPME/GC–MS at regular intervals. To handle the ample data collected, a systematic approach utilizing multivariate data analysis techniques was taken. This approach led to a vast amount of data which we made publicly available for future exploration. Results reveal the complexity of aroma changes, with 695 compounds identified, highlighting the need for a comprehensive understanding. Principal component analyses offer initial insights into truffle composition, while individual compounds may serve as markers for age (formic acid, 1-methylpropyl ester), freshness (2-Methyl-1-propanal; 1-(methylthio)-propane), freezing (tetrahydrofuran), salt treatment (1-chloropentane), or heat exposure (4-hydroxy-3-methyl-2-butanone). This research suggests that heat treatment or salt contact significantly affects truffle aroma, while freezing and cutting have less pronounced effects in comparison. The enrichment of compounds showing significant changes during storage was investigated with a metabolomic pathway analysis. The involvement of some of the enriched compounds on the pyruvate/glycolysis and sulfur pathways was shown. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Perspectives on Tuber Fungi)
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