Current context:
We have further knowledge about mating types not mentioned below. Section to be rewritten by Colin Carter and Celeste.
History:
Non-producing trees, trees that have stopped producing, investment schemes ‘experimenting’ with layout and row distances. There is a litany of horror stories.
Need a grower’s story here.
“Purchase of a tagged tree seedling does provide a grower with the exact detail of what they are purchasing and planting — and thus gives them the ability to better predict the possible outcomes in terms of tree and tuber growth in the future.”
When Ian Hall’s Taming the truffle book was released, Ian and his contributors conveyed the excitement of the emerging truffle science (and adding what is now a legacy of small truffières in New Zealand that will probably never produce commercial crops. Many of them have T. brumale ). His information about how to inoculate seedlings is still the same technique used by major nurseries with a few ‘commercial secrets’ that are mostly about how the truffle spores are prepared, such as freeze dried, and the level they go to to ensure that the soil medium and containers they use are sterile and there are no ‘wild’ or competing fungi such as Scleroderma and Hebeloma contaminants. Keeping your truffle for inoculum in the freezer actually helps break down the cell structure of the truffle and makes the spores more accessible. (We describe why only the best perfect truffle should be used here, so that you are not perpetuating large misshapen tubers or ones prone to rot or disease.)
In this this video from Micología Forestal & Aplicada Marcos Morcillo shows how they treat Tuber magnatum to create inoculum. (Nurseries have successfully created seedlings with root infection but production still remains elusive after planting. It remains the unachieved goal for farmed truffle.) The process is the same for other varieties and the freeze drying avoids any thawing stage which will happen if you just move your truffle from your freezer .
There is a French nursery Agri-Truffe video that shows lots of ‘behind the scenes’ steps. And spruik for the ease of growing T. unicinatum vs melanosporum.
In 2014 the ATGA implemented a Certification system for Tuber Melanosporum seedlings.
Here is our explanation of the process.
Tree Certification
For several years there has been work to establish a tree seedling certification system in Australia, specifically for inoculated seedlings being raised for the French Black Truffle (Tuber melanosporum).
Extensive consultancy and research was undertaken to look into all the key issues relating to such a scheme, and the Australian Truffle Growers Association is pleased to announce that the system is now being implemented.
This means that starting in 2014, there are nurseries that will supply certified seedling stock, based on sample testing done by a third party. This will give exact specifics to the grower/purchaser on three key vital things:
1. The plant quality of that batch.
2. The colonisation of truffle in that batch.
3. DNA confirmation of the tuber species in that batch.
This tree certification program gives the tree purchaser the detailed knowledge of the tree seedling and the tuber inoculation, BEFORE they plant it on their farm, thus making it possible for the grower to assess the tree seedlings, and the inoculation.
How the system works:
Previously, when purchasing either oaks or hazelnut tree seedlings that have been inoculated with Tuber melanosporum, there was no way to verify if the inoculation was sufficient, if the tree was J-rooted, or if in fact there were also other tuber species, such as Tuber brumale, being innoculated with those seedlings (which would have a dramatic impact on the successful colonisation rate of Tuber melanosporum).
The tree certification program has been designed to deal with each of these -giving all involved the exact specifics on a specific batch.
A. There are a number of tree nurseries that are producing inoculated seedlings. The tree certification program is open to all nurseries and is a voluntary scheme. A nursery can participate in the certification scheme simply by contacting the ATGA. We already have two nurseries participating for 2014, and we anticipate many more will also be involved.
When a nursery has a number of trees ready for testing (say 500, or 1000, or more), a specific sample batch of 12 trees is selected randomly from the tree seedlings.
B. The sample tree seedlings are physically sent to a third party (at this time this is conducted by Associate Professor Celeste Linde, a research scientist located at the Australian National University), who conducts the required tests for the certification program. Celeste has no vested interest in any specific nursery, or growers.
C. The sample tree seedlings are assessed against a thorough series of criteria. This includes plant health, the colonisation percentage of T. melanosporum on root tips, as well as DNA verification of all tuber species existing on the roots of the sample 12 trees (also identifying if T. brumale or other contaminants are present).
These tests are extensive and result in the complete destruction of the 12 tree sample — this destructive sampling gives statistically accurate information on the quality of the nursery’s batch of seedlings, and is an invaluable tool for both the nursery and the purchaser of trees from the tested batch.
D. The detailed test results are returned to the nursery, and if they meet the ATGA standards, they can then order tree tags for that batch of seedlings.
The tag has the details of the batch size, the year of testing and also a code number. Through this code number, the purchaser has access to the test data (which is held in confidence by both the nursery, and the Australian Truffle Growers Association).
If the nursery is not happy with the test results, they can choose to not order tags, and get a rebate on the tags. They can still sell the trees, as they wish, however there will be no tag or detail provided to the purchaser of test results (by the nursery or the ATGA).
As this is a voluntary scheme, it is important that nurseries have the choice, after seeing the test results, of deciding if they wish to tag the trees or not. It is also important that the information on what nursery a test result came from is not publicly available to anyone, regardless of whether they choose to tag the trees or not.
From a growers perspective, they will be able to see that trees are either tagged or not. If they are tagged, then they can get exact results of a) plant health, b) colonisation of Tuber melanosporum, and c) DNA confirmation of tuber species. If the seedlings are not tagged, they may or may not have been tested — but the information on the inoculation is not available for verification, and it is up to the grower to ascertain if they should purchase the trees or not.
E. Purchasing a certified tagged tree seedling is not a guarantee that a grower will successfully be able to produce truffles — as there are so many other variables including site location, climate, irrigation, pests/diseases, and more.
But purchase of a tagged tree seedling does provide a grower with the exact detail on what they are purchasing and planting and a degree of confidence in the certified seedlings— and thus gives them the ability to better predict the possible outcomes in terms of tree and tuber growth in the future.
Nurseries participating in the tree certification program in 2014 so far are:
Trufficulture Pty Ltd
PO Box 364, Gembrook, VIC
Phone: (03) 5968 1092, Email: enquiries@trufficulture.com.au
Five Acre Nursery
RMB 327 Seven Day Road, Manjimup WA
Phone: (08) 9771 2258, Email: fiveacre@karriweb.com.au
Do we suggest DIY?