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System and material for truffle cultivation

InoculationMyceliumMycorrhizasNon-woven fabricTruffle

Introduction

The invention provides the use of the non-woven fabric, for the mycorrhization of plants with truffles. The material is completely biodegradable and it gives an abundant and uniform mycorrhization, both with sporal and mycelial inoculation.

Technical features

Modern truffle farming is based on the planting of mycorrhizal plants in the nursery with truffles. In order to succeed, the cultivation should be based on the excellent quality of mycorrhizal plants, i.e. colonized extensively with truffles and free of pollutants. For this reason, the cultivation needs to standardize and improve the production of mycorrhizal plants with truffles. The invention couples a non-woven fabric with a method effective in truffle farming, in order to obtain 35% higher mycorrhization percentages compared to the current techniques (use of vermiculite or other inert materials as a support for the mycelium). The non-woven fabric is able to retain the mycelium between its meshes, allowing a more effective transfer of the fungus to the plant. Furthermore, the times of obtaining the mycorrhizae through mycelial inoculation are considerably reduced.

Possible Applications

  • Truffle cultivation.

Advantages

  • Total degradation of non-woven fabric after 6 months;
  • Greater and more uniform degree of mycorrhization;
  • Possibility of standardizing the production process, reducing costs and materials compared to the current sporal inoculation techniques used by nurseries.