Truffle Garden Setup and Management

Truffle Garden Setup and Management

The ideal place for truffle is primarily where a species of truffle grows naturally. Because the soil structure of the natural habitat, climate characteristics and dominant plant species are the most suitable environment for a truffle species. However, before investing, analysis is required to ensure the suitability of the physical and chemical structure of the soil. First of all, whether the climate of the region is in accordance with the climate data of the natural habitat of the truffle species to be produced, the suitability of the physical and chemical properties of the soil, if not the composition of the soil is possible to change, whether there are competitive ectomycororal mushrooms in the region should be investigated and if any, the effects should be minimized.
Only 10% of the people who try to produce by establishing the truffle in the world are successful. The most important reason for the low success of the cultion is that truffle production is much more complex than anticipated.
Pierre Sourzat, who has 40 years of experience in the installation of truffles

Ectomichorizal Fungal Race
The vast majority of high-structured plants form ectocoriza with any fungus. Therefore, at the root of the trees, many different fungi compete to form a ectomycorizal partnership. These mushrooms can be fungi that we can easily see on the soil, such as lamb's belly and cinnamon, or different truffles that grow underground. Some fungal species form ectocoriza with only one genus of plant species, while others may form eccoriza with plant species of different sexes. According to researches, one gram of soil taken from the ground has approximately 600 million ecnographic coronies. When this figure is taken into account, it is seen how much danger is posed for the truffle-infused seedlings to be planted in the truffle garden. Fungi such as Hebeloma, Inocybe and Scleroderma, which are more actively performing eccoriza at high pH, are potential threats to the truffle garden. As a matter of fact, in the U.S. state of Oregon, a truffle that was planted in the winter black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) infused seedlings has not been harvested in 15 years. One day, the owner of the truffle finds a white mushroom similar to tuber magnatum and brings it to Prof. Dr. James Trappe and says, "I planted a black truffle-infused seedling, but I bought a white truffle." After a study by James Trappe, it is understood that the fungus is Scleroderma with eccorcorrosial properties.

Regional Selection for Truffle
When choosing an ideal region to establish the truffle, the physical and chemical structure of the soil, its pH, climatic characteristics, the façade and slope of the terrain are important. It is also important to minimize the amount of potential ectomycorizal mushrooms. Due to the danger of the presence of competitive eccorizal fungus, the most suitable places for truffle can be chosen from the soils where plants such as vineyards, which are previously empty or farmed, grow from non-eccorical properties. However, the absence of an ectocorizal tree in the field does not mean that there are no ectomycorizal fungi in that area. In addition, ectocorizal mushrooms can survive years after the tree die and can also pass on to its roots when a truffle-infused seedling is planted in the soil. In Europe, truffles are usually formed after years of clean-up in areas with ectocorisal contamination.
Preparation of planting area
It is very difficult to produce truffles in extremely humid or underwater soils with very high pH (8.7 and above) or very dry soils. The purpose of the preparation of the planting area is to produce well-ventilated, physically and chemically natural truffle field soil. Planting of truffle-infused seedlings of the planting area requires a two-year preparation period. In order to ventilate the soil very well, diperation is required. The ploughing process with normal tractor plows on agricultural land is up to a depth of 30-40 cm. The soil further below this depth usually has hardening. With the distillation to be done, the hard part of the soil up to a depth of 70-80 cm is shattered. In addition, large-rubber tractors should be preferred instead of narrow tyres in order to spread the weight of tractors to be used to avoid compressing the soil over a wide area.

The shape. 4 hectares of area prepared for truffle on the campus of Mugla Malari Kocman University.
the first process is to remove the existing solid or decayed plant roots in the planting area.  If these roots remain in the soil, they will increase the amount of organic acid. If there are ectomycorizal trees in the planting area, no matter how carefully removed them, some of the root fragments are likely to cause contamination in the environment. Tuber maculatum, which poses a danger to the production of truffles in New Zealand, and the roots of the ectomy-treated willow trees have been successfully destroyed by dynamite.

If there are endomicorizal plants such as shrubs and fruit trees in the planting area, bulldozer, tractor, etc. can be removed from the environment by taking care not to move the fertile part on the surface of the soil. Because the roots of endomycorizal plants are not a danger to the truffle which is ectochlyzal.
The herbs in the environment can be harvested and removed or destroyed with appropriate herb medicines. It will be useful to remove the large stones in the field as they will interfere with the work.
Fence construction
For truffles, rabbits, rats, mice, deer, goats, bears and pigs pose a very big problem. Barbed wire or fences should be performed to solve this problem. Low electrical current can be given for the removal of animals. Low electric current does not harm humans, but is a stimulant for wild animals. In France, the use of electric fences in the solar energy system is very common.
Number of Seedlings and Planting Frequency
Tuber melanosporum can adapt from relatively cool climates to lands dominated by the Mediterranean climate, and even to climatic conditions in areas as wide as subtropical. However, the number of seedlings to be planted per hectare, planting order and variety of seedlings are very important in the construction of the truffle garden. The gardens created by planting one type of vaccinated seedlings for tuber melanosporum are not suitable. Likewise, the number of seedlings to be planted more or less affects the yield in the truffles and causes a decrease in harvesting in the following years. Therefore, these considerations must be taken into account when establishing the truffle. The amount of wind and sunlight coming into contact with the ground in the truffle garden affects the temperature of the environment and indirectly the soil temperature and humidity. The number of seedlings to be planted in relatively cool, fertile and irrigable soils should be reduced.Planting 100 saplings per hectare can be considered a waste especially for very valuable land when it comes to a 20-year period of time for these seedlings to become trees and to wrap the roots all over the land.

In France, such a truffle garden was successful in the series created from north to south by making use of daylight for most of the day. Also in Spain, 280 seedlings per hectare were successful in the relatively shade at 6 ×6 m intervals. Although there were no problems in the first years of the truffles planted 800 seedlings per hectare, the yield decreased very seriously in the following years. In the truffles created in the 1970s, 800 seedlings per hectare were planted in the series formed 3.5 m apart from east to west with a range of 2.8 m. seedlings.


The shape. A truffle planted at 6 × 6 m intervals in Mugla Yatağan (April 2013).

The shape. Seedlings in a truffle that has completed the age of 1 in Muğla Yatağan (April 2014).
When the length of the trees reached 3.5 meters, the portion of the soil that benefited from sunlight decreased considerably. In the early years, tuber melanosporum production decreased as the shadow increased in these truffles, which were very successful and gave good products, while the pressure of competitive species increased, but half of the seedlings were removed and the amount of products was compensated. In 1994, 1000 oak, hornbeam and hazelnut saplings were planted in 1994 in Umbria region of Italy and truffle was established. Although truffles were harvested up to 50 kg in the first years, it was observed that the amount of truffle harvested in the following years decreased rapidly.
rrigation System
Although sufficient soil moisture is very important in the formation of truffles, the use of irrigation system is not very common in France, Italy and Spain. In countries such as New Zealand, an irrigation system has been established in case of periodic drought. In a truffle garden where 500 saplings are planted per hectare, 800 liters of water is needed for irrigation. Another view is that in summer, 20 mm of water is needed every 2 weeks. As plants grow, the amount of water needed will be 100,000 liters as it will grow at that rate in the roots.
The Sprinkler system makes more sense because it can distribute water over a wider area with mini-sprinklers and microjets. If the drip system is used, the mycorizas will be collected in these areas as only water will be given to certain points. To prevent this, it is necessary to have a wider area irrigated by frequently relocating them.
When the length of plants rises to a few meters, the roots of the plants reach and touch each other.Daha fazla suya ihtiyaç duyulur. Su ihtiyacını sağlamak için sulama sistemine daha fazla sulama başlığı takılırsa, basınçlı su yapraklarda tahribata ve bazı hastalıklara sebep olabilir.
Competitive Ectomycorizal Mushrooms
After the truffle-infused seedlings are planted in the field, fungal species such as Thelephora and Scleroderma may be attacked.

The shape. Species belonging to the genus Hebeloma (left), Inocybe (centre) and Scleroderma (right) that attack vaccinated seedlings in truffles.
Maintenance and Management of The Thruve
The aim of truffle producers is to harvest the highest amount of truffles for 50 years by ensuring the development of truffle-infused seedlings planted in truffles together with their ectomykoriza. Unwanted ectomycorizal fungi should be kept to a minimum during development and protected from other diseases and pests. The ecological wishes of each truffle species are different. These factors include soil pH, humidity, ventilation, textuality, amount and content of organic matter, as well as shadow formation status and common plant species.
Even if ecological factors in a truffle are suitable in the care of all the requests needed to grow truffles, if the seedlings are planted frequently and therefore the soil is stoning, it is not necessary to expect enough truffle harvest from this truffle. The shadow will raise the humidity level of the soil. The leaves that fall on the ground will decay and start to mix into the soil will reduce the pH level. This will cause other ectocorisal fungi to multiply and compete in the environment. In cool errands, the distance between the seedlings to be planted in the truffles should be increased and in warmer areas it should be planted more frequently to create a shadow.
Soil Studies
Soil ventilation is very important in the production of all commercial truffle strains. In the soils that have been ventilated and maintained periodically, more larger and beautiful-looking truffles are produced. Before the intensive use of machinery in agriculture, the method was processed by soil hoeing or raking. Today, it is driven by means of tractor to form a depth of 5-10 cm. It should never be driven more than 10 cm deep.
Brule
The formation of Tuber melancholy and Tuber aestivum in the truffles gives a symptom with the brule formed around the tree on the soil. Each year, the root systems of the truffle-infused seedlings and the myrorizal structure develop towards new soils to form a cycle around the plant. As a result of the growing season, the root system enters the sleep period and the elderly mycoriza die.
As a result, the brule expands every year. Brule formation is usually 3. takes place in the year.
Fighting Herbs
Soil should be 10 cm in spring or hoeing. Ploughing and hoeing deeper than 10 cm for a long time will damage the root tips and myrorizal structure. Because the myroral structure usually occurs between 10 and 20 cm depths of soil.
Irrigation
Truffle production is severely affected by dry years. Therefore, it is very important for truffle formation to have sufficient amount of moist soil especially in summer. The soil needs to be irriged sufficiently. You can tell if the soil needs water by squeezing a little bit of the soil that you're holding out. Irrigation will vary according to the structure of the soil. What is important here is to give as much water as the plant needs. Depending on the structure of the soil in July and August, 5 liters of water per seedling per week may be sufficient. For this purpose, electronic moisture sensor can be placed in the soil and irrigation can be done. No matter which irrigation system is used, it is important that the soil is irrigated more than it needs and becomes a lake and especially in clay soils, which is not allowed to decrease soil permeability.
Mulching
The irrigation system is not preferred in Europe because it is expensive. In order to preserve the moisture of the soil, producers have traditionally covered the brule area with wheat stalks, dry leaves, juniper branches or plastic nylon in recent years.

The shape. Use of plastic to protect soil moisture and prevent grazing in Mugla Bedn (May 2013).
In the short term, mulching ensures the moisture and temperature of the soil. In the long term, the amount of minerals in the soil, microbial activity, enzyme activity and drainage increase. Consequently, mulching causes disease factors, insects and nematodes to decrease soil fungi, which has a positive effect on plant development and truffle production. However, mulching can be harmful to truffle production in relatively cold climates as it lowers soil temperature.
Pruning
In the truffles created to produce tuber melanosporum, it is very important to prevent the shading of the soil by pruning the lower branches, especially in cool areas. Oak seedlings grow from a single main trunk and are very strong, so pruning is not needed. In hazelnut plant, shoots from the sides must be pruned. The best time for pruning is before spring, i.e. before budding begins. Pruning can always be done because no fruit is expected from oak trees.
As the tuber melanosporum develops and the plant grows up to 1 meter, it should be pruned from a single body to take the form of an ice cream cone. In this way, pruning the sun's rays, the root around the root during the day in winter and spring, before and in the afternoon in summer, the soil around the root at noon in summer to protect from the excessive heat of the sun's rays. The aim is to increase the soil temperature in the spring, and in the summer, in extreme temperatures, the soil around the root will lose too much water.