Dorota Hilszczańska

New Tuber species found in Poland

New information from a survey of truffles carried out in southern part of Poland in September 2007 is presented. The fruit bodies of Tuber aestivum, T. excavatum, T. rufum and one unidentified Tuber sp. were found. The soil chemistry of the five T. aestivum sites was analysed. Our inventory showed that T. aestivum prefers the mixed forest with host-trees such as: Quercus robur, Corylus avellana, Carpinus betulus, Fagus silvaticus and Tilia cordata. Selection of local inocula of T. aestivum for the propagation of truffles production could be an alternative to the Mediterranean truffles orchards in times when demand for the fungi will be increasing. Fruit bodies of truffles are conserved in the collection of biological material in the Forest Research Institute in Sękocin Stary.

Changes in nitrogen level and mycorrhizal structure of Scots pine seedlings inoculated with Thelephora terrestris

Abstract• We investigated the influence of Thelephora terrestris, an ectomycorrhizal fungus, on the concentration of nitrogen in needles of Pinus sylvestris L. seedlings and their mycorrhizal structure within four seasons of growth.• Seedlings were grown in four treatments: (I) inoculated + 0.030 g N, (II) inoculated + 0.045 g N, (III non-inoculated + 0.030 g N, (IV) non-inoculated + 0.045 g N under laboratory conditions and later planted in post-agricultural land.• For inoculated treatments, statistically significant differences in N concentration of needles were observed for two- and four-year-old seedlings. The number of ectomycorrhizae and concentration of N in needles were negatively correlated. After four seasons of growth the greatest numbers of ectomycorrhizae were present on seedlings from treatment II, and the smallest on seedlings from treatment IV.• Two-year-old seedlings had been colonized by at least six different fungal taxa, i.e. Cenococcum geophilum, Hebeloma crustuliniforme, Rhizopogon sp., Suillus bovinus, Thelephora terrestris and a non-identified one. Treatments I and II were dominated by the ectomycorrhizae of T. terrestris and their number was significantly greater than in treatments III or TV. On four-year-old seedlings ectomycorrhizae of T. terrestris were dominated in all treatments, while ectomycorrhizae of Hebeloma sp. were not found.Résumé• L’influence du champignon ectomycorhizien Thelephora terrestris sur la concentration en azote dans les aiguilles de semis de pin sylvestre et sur la structure mycorhizienne des plants a été suivie durant quatre saisons de croissance.• Les semis ont été cultivés sous quatre traitements : (I) inoculé + 0,030 g N, (II) inoculés + 0,045 g N, (III non inoculés + 0,030 g N, (IV) non inoculés + 0,045 g N, dans les conditions du laboratoire avant d’être plantés sur le terrain.• Dans les traitements d’inoculés, des différences significatives ont été observées dans la concentration des aiguilles en azote pour les semis de deux et quatre ans. Le nombre de mycorhizes et la concentration des aiguilles en azote étaient corrélés négativement. Après quatre saisons de croissance, le plus grand nombre de mycorhizes a été obtenu dans le traitement II et le plus petit dans le traitement IV• Les semis de deux ans avaient été colonisés par au moins six taxons différents de champignon : Cenococcum geophilum, Hebeloma crustuliniforme, Rhizopogon sp., Suillus bovinus, Thelephora terrestris et un autre taxon indéterminé. Dans les traitements I et II, les ectomycorhizes de T. terrestris dominaient et leur nombre était plus élevé que dans les traitements III et IV Pour les semis de quatre ans, les ectomycorhizes de T. terrestris dominaient dans tous les traitements, tandis que celles de Hebeloma sp. étaient absentes.

Ectomycorrhizal communities in a Tuber aestivum Vittad. orchard in Poland

Abstract Cultivation of the Burgundy truffle, Tuber aestivum Vittad., has become a new agricultural alternative in Poland. For rural economies, the concept of landscaping is often considerably more beneficial than conventional agriculture and promotes reforestation, as well as land-use stability. Considering examples from France, Italy, Hungary and Spain, truffle cultivation stimulates economic and social development of small, rural communities. Because there is no long tradition of truffle orchards in Poland, knowledge regarding the environmental factors regulating the formation of fruiting bodies of T. aestivum is limited. Thus, knowledge concerning ectomycorrhizal communities of T. aestivum host species is crucial to ensuring successful Burgundy truffle production. We investigated the persistence of T. aestivum ectomycorrhizae on roots of hazel (Corylus avellana L.) and oak (Quercus robur L.) and checked the host-species influence on community structure of ectomycorrhizal fungi. The study was conducted in an experimental plantation located in eastern Poland and established in 2008. We demonstrated that the number of fungal taxa was not significantly different between oak and hazel. However, the species composition differed between these two host trees. During the three-year study, we observed that species richness did not increase with the age of the plantation.

Influence of laser light on mycelial growth of Hebeloma mesophaeum and ectomycorrhizal development on Scots pine

Abstract The effects of exposure to helium-neon (He-Ne) or Argon (Ar) laser light (λ=632.8 nm and 514 nm, respectively) on the growth of Hebeloma mesophaeum mycelium in pure culture were studied. Growth rates were highest after exposure to the He-Ne laser (1×60 s)+Ar laser (2×60 s) and to the He-Ne laser for 3×30. Container-grown Pinus sylvestris (pine) seedlings were inoculated with a water suspension of H. mesophaeum mycelium previously exposed to different kinds of laser light. After 3 months, the percentage of mycorrhizal associations on pine roots was 34.3% higher after He-Ne laser treatment and 47.1% higher after Ar laser treatment than in the controls with untreated fungus. However, seedlings infected with treated fungus were smaller than the control. Overall, laser light stimulated growth of H. mesophaeum mycelia in pure culture and enhanced mycorrhizal development on Scots pine seedlings.

Effect of soil properties and vegetation characteristics in determining the frequency of Burgundy truffle fruiting bodies in Southern Poland

ABSTRACT The Burgundy truffle (Tuber aestivum Vittad.) has a wide-ranging distribution across Europe, yet its ecology is far from being well understood. For instance, although the literature on the ecophysiology of this species is dominated by the symbiosis with deciduous hosts, the real range of hosts in nature seems to be much wider than the current distribution of T. aestivum. The aim of this study was to determine the relative importance of abiotic (soil) and biotic (vegetation) properties in determining the performance of T. aestivum in this pioneering stage of research on truffles in Poland. Soil parameters influenced the formation of T. aestivum fruiting bodies more strongly than plant composition. The number of fruiting bodies increased with increasing concentration of soil calcium and phosphorus. The number of plant species was the only significant predictor among the investigated vegetation characteristics. The influence of this predictor was positive, as an increasing number of fruiting bodies was found when the number of plant species was higher. The presence of truffle fruiting bodies was significantly correlated with the presence of five plant species, viz.: Brachypodium sylvaticum, Cephalanthera damasonium, Cornus sanguinea, Sanicula europaea and Viola mirabilis.

Truffle renaissance in Poland – history, present and prospects

The use of truffles in Poland has a long tradition, yet due to some historical aspects, this knowledge was lost. Currently, truffles and truffle orchards are again receiving attention, and thanks to, e.g., historical data, they have solid foundations to be established. Publications relating to truffles between 1661 and 2017 were searched for in international and national databases, such as the database of PhD theses, Google Scholar, and catalogues of the National Library of Poland, the Jagiellonian Digital Library, the University Library of J. Giedroyc in Bialystok and the Lower Silesian Digital Library (DBC). A very meticulous survey of the literature on truffles showed that truffles have been known since at least 1661. In the 18th century, the fungi were considered a non-timber forest product. It is interesting to mention the impact of Polish Count Michał Jan Borch in understanding the nature of truffles. The whitish truffle (Tuber borchii) is named after him. The greatest number of publications regarding truffles can be observed at the first half of the 19th and 20th centuries. The fungi were present not only in cookbooks but also in scientific literature, and aspects of their ecology and medicinal use are considered. The “dark ages” for truffles, mainly for social reasons, occurred after the Second World War. In tough times, when Poland was under Soviet communist control (1945–1989), truffles as a luxurious product have been completely forgotten. However, at the end of the 20th century, truffles started receiving attention in Polish society. Yet, the real awakening began in the first decade of the twenty-first century when the first truffle orchards were established. One of them has already produced the first fruit bodies of summer truffle (Tuber aestivum). Truffles have been present in Polish culture for centuries. Their renaissance indicates the need for fostering sustainable agroforestry-centred initiatives aimed at helping truffle growers in growing the precious fungi and thus meeting market demands.

Comparison of chemical composition in Tuber aestivum Vittad. of different geographical origin.

Truffles are prized and nutrition‐rich edible hypogeous fungi. The aim of this study was a comprehensive investigation of chemical composition of Burgundy truffle (Tuber aestivum Vittad.). We tried to answer the question: what is the impact of the environment on the truffle quality. To know the nutritional value of Burgundy truffle we compared lipids, proteins, saccharides, polyphenolics, flavonoids, total sterols, ergosterol, volatile flavour and aroma compounds content in fruit bodies of the fungus collected in three different geographical regions, i.e., Poland, Slovakia, and Italy. A comparison of the above mentioned compounds is especially interesting due to environmental and climatic differences among the studied geographical regions. Results revealed that fruit bodies of T. aestivum from Poland and Slovakia possessed nearly similar content of proteins, total sterols, and saccharides. The fruiting bodies from Italy contained significantly larger amounts of most of the investigated compounds. In turn, Polish specimens had higher content of lipids and polyphenolics than Slovak and Italian ones. We have found higher similarity of volatile compounds composition between Polish and Italian specimens than those of Polish and Slovak origin.

Influence of resting and pine sawdust application on chemical changes in post-agricultural soil and the ectomycorrhizal community of growing Scots pine saplings

Abstract Changes in chemical compounds and in ectomycorrhizal structure were determined for Scots pine growing on post agricultural soil lying fallow for 3, 6 and 15 years, after amendment with pine sawdust. Soil without any amendments was used as the control treatment. Comparing the ectomycorrhizal structure 15 years after the application of pine sawdust revealed no significant differences in abundance or species richness between soil with and without organic enrichment. The results showed that the ectomycorrhizal status depends on soil conditions (soil pH, nitrogen content), which remain unaffected by saw dust application. In all treatments, the most frequently occurring ectomycorrhizae genera were Dermocybe, Hebeloma, Suillus, Tomentella and Tricholoma. Two species (Paxillus involutus, Amanita muscaria) were specific to the control plots that lay fallow for 15 years.

Environmental conditions that promote the occurrence of truffles (Tuber spp.) on historical sites in Poland

Abstract This article highlights historical data regarding truffles’ occurrence in Poland. Along with the soil parameters the plant communities at the sites were studied. The results of the chemical soil analyses showed that the soil pH in water on 5 sites was acidic (from 4.3 to 6.1), and only in one, Wiązowna, was the pH (7.2) conductive to truffles development. Similarly, the content of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) in soil samples was low (from 0 to 0.03%), except for Wiązowna, where CaCO3 was 0.12%. Among the 24 reported species of trees and shrubs, 7 species were host-plants of summer truffle (Tuber aestivum Vitt.). Out of the 7 species, oak and hornbeam were present at four localisations. Across the sites, 31 species of ground-layer plants were identified. Among these, Epipactis helleborine was only one host-species of summer truffle. Our findings indicate that formation of truffles fruiting-bodies depends on specific habitat characteristics. The key factors determining this process are soil parameters, such as: texture, pH and calcium content. Our inventory showed that the sites we studied still persist as natural stands, although only one of them seems to be favorable for truffles development: this site is located in Wiązowna, where soil is of pH 7.2 and E. helleborine, (host species for truffles from Orchidaceae) is found, fulfills the environmental requirements of truffles