For the first time, French researchers have succeeded in cultivating the Italian white truffle, or Tuber magnatum, in plantations.
This precious mushroom is the most sought-after species of truffle.
Until now, it was only present in the wild and sold between 1,500 and 5,000 euros per kilo.
A world first.
French researchers have succeeded in cultivating the rarest and most expensive truffle in the world: the white truffle from Italy, harvested so far only in the wild.
For several years, INRAE (National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and the Environment), associated with Robin nurseries (Hautes-Alpes), have been trying to control the development and production of this rare product in several plantations.
The first harvests took place in 2019 and 2020 and the scientific results of this work were published Tuesday in the scientific journal
Mycorrhiza.
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The precious mushrooms, seven in total, were harvested over the past two years from a plantation in southwestern France, in which mycorrhizal trees (which carry the mycelium of the fungus on their roots) in Tuber magnatum had been planted.
This white truffle is the most sought after species.
It sells for between 1,500 and 5,000 euros per kilo, or five times more than the black truffle.
Prices can even reach 50,000 euros per kilo at auction, for the most beautiful pieces.
Until now, French truffle production has been limited to two main varieties: the black truffle, mainly produced on plantations, and the Burgundy truffle.
A delicate coupling between tree and truffle
French researchers have therefore "doubled" the Italians who have tried to cultivate it since the 1960s, without success.
It must be said that the coupling of the tree and the truffle is everything that is most delicate.
“The difficulty is to associate the tree with the truffle. When you put a young tree with truffles in a vase, the fungus must associate with the roots. It is relatively easy for the tree. black truffle, more complicated for white truffles ", explains Claude Murat, engineer specializing in truffles, research director at Inrae.
"The truffle has to mate since what we eat is the result of the sexual reproduction of the fungus. It is the 'fruit' of the fungus."
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Growing white truffles in plantations now means that this product will be more easily accessible in France, at probably more reasonable prices in the coming years.
It is also an interesting agricultural outlet.
Indeed, this culture is agroecological: it does not require pesticides and promotes biodiversity.