Black Truffle Production, Soils and Mediterranean Woods: Spanish Research Contributions (1962-2006)

The production of mycorrhizal fungi provides higher economic returns than any other forest product in many Mediterranean woods. In these areas, truffles (Tuber spp.) and mushrooms of Boletus and Lactarius genus are the fungi that yield the highest economic benefits. However, there are still evident gaps in the understanding of the truffle's biological cycles, ecology and interactions with host plants and other fungi. In the last 12 years, Spanish research has begun to respond to the requirements of truffle research. Most of Spanish Tuber references deal with the areas of agronomy, forestry, ecology and soil science. In this respect, Spain is one of the main truffle-producing countries in the world and its varied climate, topography and lithology make it a useful geographic area for increasing knowledge on Tuber ecology and truffle production. This work describes the content of Spanish research and its impact on the knowledge of truffles.