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Molecular and morphological identification of truffle-producing Tuber species in New Zealand

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Abstract

Molecular and morphological techniques were used to examine New Zealand ascomycetous truffle (Tuber spp.) samples deposited in the Plant & Food Research and Landcare Research Fungi Herbarium collections. Truffles have been found on the roots of many Northern Hemisphere tree species growing in New Zealand, but not on indigenous plant species. Comparisons of ribosomal DNA sequences proved to be a simple and rapid method to identify the Tuber species. Tuber maculatum was by far the predominant species in New Zealand, and was distributed throughout the country. A single truffle sample from Christchurch was identified as T. rufum. Two other groups of truffle samples from Pinus spp. were closely related to anonymous Northern Hemisphere Tuber sequences. Ascocarps with these sequences have not previously been described. Specific primers for the PCR detection of these Pinus isolates were developed. None of these Tuber species accidentally introduced to New Zealand is of economic value.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to Eric McKenzie for permission to extract DNA from PDD samples, to Simon Hayes and Donna Gibson for assistance with figures, and to Daniel Park for editorial advice. We thank Judith Candy and Katrin Walbert for communications regarding their mycorrhizae surveys. Comments by Jim Trappe significantly improved this manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. New Zealand Institute for Plant & Food Research, Private Bag 4704, Christchurch, New Zealand

    Simon R. Bulman, Sandra B. Visnovsky, Alexis Guerin-Laguette & Yun Wang

  2. Truffles & Mushrooms (Consulting) Ltd, P.O. Box 268, Dunedin, 9054, New Zealand

    Ian R. Hall

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  1. Simon R. Bulman
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  2. Sandra B. Visnovsky
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  3. Ian R. Hall
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  4. Alexis Guerin-Laguette
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  5. Yun Wang
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Correspondence to Simon R. Bulman.

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Bulman, S.R., Visnovsky, S.B., Hall, I.R. et al. Molecular and morphological identification of truffle-producing Tuber species in New Zealand. Mycol Progress 9, 205–214 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11557-009-0626-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11557-009-0626-0

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