biodiversity of hypogeous fungi in basilicata

During the last two decades, systematic studies were carried out on biodiversity of hypogeous fungi in forestry territories of the two Basilicata (southern Italy) provinces, Matera and Potenza. Identification of fungus taxa found in the region was commonly accomplished on the basis of macro- and microscopic features, and only in a few instances, molecular analyses were utilized. Thanks to these investigations, Basilicata now occupies, among Italian regions, the first and fourth positions for number of Tuber species, varieties or forms and total number of hypogeous fungi (Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Zygomycota) naturally growing in its woodlands and Mediterranean maquis areas. In fact, the last up-to-date acquirements on the topic bring up to 29 and 53 the number of Tuber taxa and that of the other hypogeous and semi-hypogeous (only three entities) fungi present in the region, respectively. In this chapter, the essential information regarding these fungi is given, so updating to 2014 the relative available knowledge. Among the Fungi, object of this review, the Ascomycota Pachyphloeus conglomeratus and Tuber malenconii, the Basidiomycota Hymenogaster decorus, H. hessey, H. rehsteineri, Schenella pityophilus and Myriostoma coliforme as well as the Zygomycota Youngiomyces multiplex deserve a particular mention because of their rarity

Typing Tuber ectomycorrhizae by polymerase chain amplification of the internal transcribed spacer of rDNA and the sequence characterized amplified region markers

International audienc

Grouping and identification of Tuber species using RAPD markers

International audienc

Caractérisation et identification de différentes espèces de Tuber par analyse de leur variabilité génétique

National audienc

Molecular identification of tuber species and isolates by PCR-based techniques

International audienc

Population genetics and dynamics of the black truffle in a man-made truffle field

The colonization dynamics of the black true in an arti®cial ®eld were assessed through analyses of microsatellite and RAPD markers. The true ®eld was composed of three tree species and mycelial inoculum of three di€erent origins, and was monitored for the ®rst three years of true production. We found very low levels of genetic diversity. Isolation by distance was detected only at the between- tree level. This could be interpreted as local colonization around each tree facilitated by the presence of the tree root system. At the larger spatial scale of the European range, the absence of isolation by distance corroborates the hypothesis of an impact of glaciation on genetic variation, followed by rapid postglaciation demographic expansion. In addition, genetic variation of harvested trues was explained by neither inoculation origin, nor tree species. Our study questions the real impact of man- made inoculation of tree root systems with fungal mycelia