Periodic Reporting for period 1 - INTACT (INnovation in Truffle cultivation, preservAtion, proCessing and wild truffle resources managemenT)
Reporting period: 2022-01-01 to 2023-12-31
Truffles are esteemed edible fungi and, with their high value, their cultivation is of significant interest in the development of rural areas in European countries, but increasingly also in other continents. However, it has been observed a decline in wild truffle production and heterogeneity in the truffle yields in new plantations. Also, issues are open on the techniques for preserving and processing truffles, and ethical, economical, juridical, and normative frameworks related to truffle hunting and commercial exploitation require to be tackled through a common effort.
To face all these issues, the INTACT consortium includes 4 non-academic organizations and 8 academic institutions belonging to EU member states, 1 academic organization belonging to Associated Country, and 4 partner organizations belonging to third countries. Its work plan is based on 7 work packages designed to reach the scientific, technical, and training objectives of the project providing coordination of the activities, dissemination, communication, and exploitation of the results. Each work package tackles one of the major topics of the “truffle” world and provides a good combination of research, training, and knowledge transfer being the planned number of secondments adequate to pursue the objectives at the WP and the task level. The methodological approach of the INTACT project is tailored to contribute to overcoming and solving some of the most concerning challenges related to the truffles value chain.
To face all these issues, the INTACT consortium includes 4 non-academic organizations and 8 academic institutions belonging to EU member states, 1 academic organization belonging to Associated Country, and 4 partner organizations belonging to third countries. Its work plan is based on 7 work packages designed to reach the scientific, technical, and training objectives of the project providing coordination of the activities, dissemination, communication, and exploitation of the results. Each work package tackles one of the major topics of the “truffle” world and provides a good combination of research, training, and knowledge transfer being the planned number of secondments adequate to pursue the objectives at the WP and the task level. The methodological approach of the INTACT project is tailored to contribute to overcoming and solving some of the most concerning challenges related to the truffles value chain.
Synergies between the coordination and each expertise areas allowed the achievement of most of the objectives of the period with relatively minor deviations. During the secondments implementation, thanks to the complementary expertise of the participants, exchanges of many different skills have been promoted, sharing protocols, training of Ph.D. students and scheduling open seminars oriented to the entire participants' staff to maximize the impact of each secondment. A study to characterize the molecular profile of local Tuber aestivum samples started with the aim to uncover new biodiversity hotspots within the natural distribution of this species.
Competences about environmental parameters to take into account when setting up a truffle plantation were shared in particular among UniPG and Aragotruf in collaboration with CITA and preparatory activities were carried out for the creation of a comprehensive database aimed at collecting and standardizing and sharing all available information for Tuber species. Scientific knowledge has also been disseminated to truffle growers and producers of truffle-inoculated plants in order to optimize various aspects of the entire truffle production chain. To this end, several nurseries and truffle orchards of Tuber melanosporum has been visited. During these visits, discussions were held with the owners concerning different management practices. This included a focus on aspects such as the selection of mycorrhizal strains and the composition of the substrate and growing medium in the nurseries. Additionally, attention was directed towards soil management, pruning techniques, irrigation methods, and truffle nest practices in truffle plantations.
Moreover, a list of wild site features, useful in defining specific practices of wild truffles resources management, was delineated.
Two questionnaires were shared with all the project members as an internal survey, one of which revealed the need for a quality assurance certificate in every country producing and selling Tuber inoculated plants. A study of truffle-related frauds in several commercial products from Spain was carried out, as well as a sensory analysis, which brought to interesting outcomes. The research proved it is necessary to educate and raise consumer awareness, and improve the actual legislation to raise transparency for consumers and avoid doubts in truffle products perception.
Throughout the initial project phase, the consortium orchestrated various communication and dissemination events, including the Kick-off meeting, two conferences (I INTACT Summer School and TRUE Congress), and plans for a third conference (II INTACT Summer School), where various researchers have actively engaged. Fourteen events were conducted during the initial two-year period.
In terms of scientific dissemination, the project aims to generate a minimum of 10 open-access publications throughout its duration. As of the conclusion of the first period, six articles and a book have already been published, with additional works under submission or scheduled.
Competences about environmental parameters to take into account when setting up a truffle plantation were shared in particular among UniPG and Aragotruf in collaboration with CITA and preparatory activities were carried out for the creation of a comprehensive database aimed at collecting and standardizing and sharing all available information for Tuber species. Scientific knowledge has also been disseminated to truffle growers and producers of truffle-inoculated plants in order to optimize various aspects of the entire truffle production chain. To this end, several nurseries and truffle orchards of Tuber melanosporum has been visited. During these visits, discussions were held with the owners concerning different management practices. This included a focus on aspects such as the selection of mycorrhizal strains and the composition of the substrate and growing medium in the nurseries. Additionally, attention was directed towards soil management, pruning techniques, irrigation methods, and truffle nest practices in truffle plantations.
Moreover, a list of wild site features, useful in defining specific practices of wild truffles resources management, was delineated.
Two questionnaires were shared with all the project members as an internal survey, one of which revealed the need for a quality assurance certificate in every country producing and selling Tuber inoculated plants. A study of truffle-related frauds in several commercial products from Spain was carried out, as well as a sensory analysis, which brought to interesting outcomes. The research proved it is necessary to educate and raise consumer awareness, and improve the actual legislation to raise transparency for consumers and avoid doubts in truffle products perception.
Throughout the initial project phase, the consortium orchestrated various communication and dissemination events, including the Kick-off meeting, two conferences (I INTACT Summer School and TRUE Congress), and plans for a third conference (II INTACT Summer School), where various researchers have actively engaged. Fourteen events were conducted during the initial two-year period.
In terms of scientific dissemination, the project aims to generate a minimum of 10 open-access publications throughout its duration. As of the conclusion of the first period, six articles and a book have already been published, with additional works under submission or scheduled.
The results achieved during the period covered by the report will have a considerable impact beyond the single activities carried out. First of all, the establishment of a multilateral network represents a continuous opportunity to share scientific, technical and practical information and knowledge in a unique way, taking advantage of the possibility of an ongoing dialogue among the participants at local, national and international level. Furthermore, this increases the participants' scientific background, allows the development of new skills thanks to the joint activities across a variety of research areas, and expand their professional network. New contacts will also facilitate long-lasting collaboration and the realization of new joint projects and/or new fields of investigation, even before the end of the project, enabling to increase and multiply the outcomes obtained by the present project.
The dissemination activities, oriented to the scientific community, are primarily devoted to scientific publications in peer-reviewed (open access) journals, as well as to a much broader spectrum of stakeholders, truffle producers and hunting organizations. In this way, the industrial and commercial exploitation of the project outcomes is expected to have a strong socio-economic impact, in terms of short- and long-term effects on territories, economies (at local and national and international level) and the society, helping in the spread of successful truffle cultivation, sustainable management of wild truffle resources and boost the production and the industrial processing for a better quality and safety of truffle products. This results in a substantial improvement in both the overall yield and quality of truffle harvests, in terms of enabling truffle producers to make informed decisions, enhancing the economic and employment development of specific territories and contributing to the sustainability and long-term success of their truffle orchards.
Aside from these aspects, truffles have strong social and historical connotations, which attract many consumers and tourists every year. The truffle supply chain in fact, represents a complex system of local actors and interests coexisting in relatively small areas, which nevertheless host large economic interests and long-established traditions. This is especially true for marginal rural areas that have to cope with recent socio-ecological transformations. In this regard, the wide dissemination of the project results contributes to create greater awareness of the importance of introducing protocols for mycorrhization and cultivation techniques and for management of natural sites, as real tools for the sustainable development of these regions.
The dissemination activities, oriented to the scientific community, are primarily devoted to scientific publications in peer-reviewed (open access) journals, as well as to a much broader spectrum of stakeholders, truffle producers and hunting organizations. In this way, the industrial and commercial exploitation of the project outcomes is expected to have a strong socio-economic impact, in terms of short- and long-term effects on territories, economies (at local and national and international level) and the society, helping in the spread of successful truffle cultivation, sustainable management of wild truffle resources and boost the production and the industrial processing for a better quality and safety of truffle products. This results in a substantial improvement in both the overall yield and quality of truffle harvests, in terms of enabling truffle producers to make informed decisions, enhancing the economic and employment development of specific territories and contributing to the sustainability and long-term success of their truffle orchards.
Aside from these aspects, truffles have strong social and historical connotations, which attract many consumers and tourists every year. The truffle supply chain in fact, represents a complex system of local actors and interests coexisting in relatively small areas, which nevertheless host large economic interests and long-established traditions. This is especially true for marginal rural areas that have to cope with recent socio-ecological transformations. In this regard, the wide dissemination of the project results contributes to create greater awareness of the importance of introducing protocols for mycorrhization and cultivation techniques and for management of natural sites, as real tools for the sustainable development of these regions.