First harvest of Périgord black truffle in the UK as a result of climate change

ABSTRACT: Although some truffle species are among the most expensive gourmet foods, much of their biology and ecology is still poorly understood. Here, we provide the first record of cultivation of the Périgord black truffle Tuber melanosporum in the UK - the most northern and maritime Périgord truffle ever cultivated. This raises hopes of counteracting the ongoing, long-term, drought-induced harvest decline of this gastronomic icon species in its natural Mediterranean habitat. More generally, we detail how the UK’s first Périgord truffle find may help protect this coveted and extremely valuable product from the impacts of ongoing and predicted global warming. Finally, we address the potential sizeable economic importance of black truffle cultivation in the northern maritime climate of the British Isles, which implies a strong financial incentive for a variety of conservation initiatives.