The Black Truffles Tuber melanosporum and Tuber indicum

Abstract

The European species Tuber melanosporum and the Asian species T. indicum are phylogenetically and morphologically very close. T. indicum is formed by a complex of cryptic species or ecotypes spread from India to Japan, while T. melanosporum is a well-defined species localised in South of Europe. T. melanosporum has been harvested and consumed in Europe for several centuries and is cultivated in orchards since the XIXe century. On the contrary, T. indicum, naturally occurring in primary or secondary Asian forests, is rarely consumed by local populations. Since the 1990s, T. indicum has been traded from China in the European market to compensate the decline of T. melanosporum production. After a peak of production of about 1000 t in 2000, production and exportation of T. indicum have considerably decreased in the last years. This decline could be explained by the destruction of its natural habitat due to the systematic digging of forest soils. T. indicum ectomycorrhizas were detected in Italy in 2008 and in 2011 in the USA. Moreover, T. indicum is able to fruit in the USA. For the moment we do not know if both species are able to inbreed nor if T. indicum can successfully compete with T. melanosporum and replace it in European truffle grounds.