The unprecedented price inflation of Black truffles, recently exceeding 5000 Euro kg(-1) (in Zurich), is a combined result of increasing global demands and decreasing Mediterranean harvests. Since the effects of long-term irrigation and climate variation on symbiotic fungus-host interaction and the development of belowground microbes are poorly understood, the establishment and maintenance of truffle plantations remains a risky venture. Using 49 years of continuous harvest and climate data from Spain, France and Italy, we demonstrate how truffle production rates, between November and March, significantly rely on previous June-August precipitation totals, whereas too much autumnal rainfall affects the subsequent winter harvest negatively. Despite a complex climate-host-fungus relationship, our findings show that southern European truffle yields can be predicted at highest probability (r = 0.78, t-stat = 5.645, prob = 0.000 01). Moreover, we demonstrate the reliability of national truffle inventories since 1970, and question the timing and dose of many of the currently operating irrigation systems. Finally, our results suggest that Black truffle mycorrhizal colonization of host fine roots, the sexualisation of mycelium, and the formation of peridium are strongly controlled by natural summer rainfall. Recognising the drought-vulnerability of southern Europe's rapidly growing truffle sector, we encourage a stronger liaison between farmers, politicians and scientists to maintain ecological and economic sustainability under predicted climate change in the Mediterranean basin.
1.Univ Cambridge, Dept Geog, Downing Pl, Cambridge CB2 3EN, England 2.Swiss Fed Res Inst WSL, Zurcherstr 111, CH-8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland 3.Global Change Res Ctr CzechGlobe, Belidla 986-4a, Brno 60300, Czech Republic 4.Masaryk Univ, Fac Sci, Dept Geog, Kotlarska 2, Brno 61300, Czech Republic 5.Ctr Tecnol Forestal Catalunya, Crta St Llorenc de Morunys Km 2, E-25280 Solsona, Spain 6.Forest Bioengn Solut SA, Crta St Llorenc de Morunys Km 2, E-25280 Solsona, Spain 7.Univ Lleida, AGROTECNIO, Dept Prod Vegetal & Ciencia Forestal, Ave Rovira Roure 191, E-25198 Lleida, Spain 8.EGTC, EMI, E-42003 Soria, Spain 9.CITA, Agrifood Res & Technol Ctr Aragon, E-50059 Zaragoza, Spain 10.Stockholm Univ, Dept Phys Geog, SE-10691 Stockholm, Sweden
Recommended Citation:
Buntgen, Ulf,Oliach, Daniel,Martinez-Pena, Fernando,et al. Black truffle winter production depends on Mediterranean summer precipitation[J]. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS,2019-01-01,14(7)