Forest Garden said:

i saw a website a few years ago that sold truffle inoculated hazelnut seedlings.    you could just buy them and plant them in your yard.    of course way too pricey if you wanted to plant multiple acres

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koopa_troopa said:

While laying in bed last night an idea struck me.. what if, somehow i was able to create a hydroponic system which consisted of not only nutrients for the saplings roots but also the truffle spores, logically this seems to be a very efficient and prosperous method of root inoculation. It sounded to great to be true but this morning, thanks to the omniscient Google i found this link http://www.springerlink.com/content/xr35880715887665/.
  Although the method pertains to the cultivation of the mushroom Cantharellus cibarius, the species is still a mycorrhizal fungi (the myc. must colonize the roots of a tree before fruit bodies can form). Does anyone know how one would keep such a hydroponic unit steril or if that is even necessary? i will probably have to purchase the journal unless someone just happens to subscribe to the Mycorrhiza journal lol, maybe RogerRabit?? i would love to know your thoughts if you stumble upon this.

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koopa_troopa said:

jjb did you even read the thread or just my last post?? bc obviously you have no idea what the topic even is and if you know nothing of either topics and havent even bothered to have read the previous posts or the links i posted, why even post? you are wasting your time and mine.. i figured atleast somebody on these boards would be familiar with some sort of mycorrhizal fungi..

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koopa_troopa said:

Where did you get the "double gang electric box" not even sure what the hell that is haha.  I have two i have already made but i really want one with speed control.. will use your tek next

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koopa_troopa said:

2) producing axenic (free from contamination) ectomycorrhizal fungi in association with plant root organ cultures on agar. The resulting root organ culture may be inoculated into whole plants.

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Quote:

The Family of Fungi(Part 4): The Temptation of Truffles
Source: CCTV.com
11-28-2006 16:34

For hundreds of years, truffles have been sought as a rare delicacy at a high price. They are often regarded as the “caviar” of fungi. They only grow underground in forests, and can only be tracked down by certain animals. In Italy and France, tamed pigs are used to locate truffles. The dark blocks which countryside people ate in the past are now luxurious food for international VIPs.

Even today, the methods used in finding truffles in forests of oak, white poplar, hazel or beech are unchanged after hundreds of years. Truffle hunters must have patience and know how to control their pigs, as pigs are clever and omnivorous. Pig trainers must also make sure to check them in time or they will eat all the truffles. The quality and size of truffles vary with the species and place of origin, and will be evaluated after picking.

Autumn is the traditional season for hunting for truffles. Soon after sunrise, many quiet households begin to get busy. Dogs are ready to begin the day’s work. This dog is well trained for seeking truffles, and is an indispensable assistant for his master, a professional truffle picker in Burgundy. The first thing they do every morning is head into the forests. There is no need to persuade the dog, because it shares the happiness of finding a truffle with its master.

In Burgundy and other truffle production bases in the Mediterranean area, the practice of seeking truffles with pigs is decreasing and more and more dogs are being employed, as they are faster and have a keener sense of smell. They are trained in special schools or by their masters. Clever masters will give them a certain degree of freedom so that they can accomplish the task themselves. They are usually as enthusiastic as their masters.

Before washing, truffles are not particularly appealing to the eye. Experts can determine the quality of truffles from their scent. After picking a truffle, the dog will be rewarded with a piece of cheese. Before leaving the site of picking, the picker will cover the pit with soil and leaves to protect the mycelium of the truffle so that more truffles will grow. For those that are lucky, a few hours of truffle hunting in the morning may result in a few great finds. When a Burgundy or Perigord truffle is cut into halves, it shows a special texture. Its special flavor can be used to cook some of the most delicious dishes in the world.

This is the Vienna Institute of Botany. Truffles have been studied here for a long time as a special topic. Botanist Alexander Eben believes that truffles will be cultivated artificially on a large scale in the future. Like boletus, truffles are symbiotic with the soft roots of some trees. The experiment they are attempting is to graft germinant truffle substances onto the roots of young trees. Several hundred young trees have been grafted and have been growing in green houses for two years. The researchers check their growth frequently after washing off the soil. They have found that the roots are growing longer and thicker, and they are on the road to success.

In three or four years, the first batch of farmed truffles may be grown in the Austrian truffle garden. What an exciting prospect! These so called white truffles are light in color and inferior in quality. But they are still highly valued. They grow in Austrian forests and can be found by experienced pickers, usually after a storm has washed off the topsoil on hill sides and exposed the bulb like truffles. Volt Korafak begins looking along the two sides of the valley after a rainfall. His patience is often paid off. Colorful and attractive fungi grow and propagate everywhere in the forest. An ancient Siberian legend said they were driven by the magic power of the spirits of fungi.

http://www.cctv.com/program/natureandscience/20061128/104104.shtml

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koopa_troopa said:

So im about to begin work on site preparation for beginning my truffle orchard. Ive received close to 200 acres of farm and field land, along with all the major equipment I will need to cultivate it. Cant believe everything is falling into place so easily for once in my life

  Ive been keeping correspondence with both Tom Michaels (of Tennessee Truffles fame) and Gerard Chevalier (THE truffle expert from France) who have both provided invaluable help. I will be starting a new thread soon which will detail the growth and progress of my opperation, but for now I will lay out some general info to give everybody something to chew on and to also help me get this shit out of my brain lol been obsessively researching all things Truffle related for some time now.. Lord knows the girlfriend is Fn tired of even hearing the word spoken God bless er' lol.

Next week, after my soul raping final exams are over with, I will begin construction of two large greenhouses in which Oak and Filbert saplings will be sprouted and inoculated in. After finishing construction, I will begin land preperation which includes tilling the land, and spreading approximately 1 ton of lime per acre to achieve the proper PH. Thankfully one of my friends owns a Grading company and has very cheap access to bulk amounts of lime ($50 per 1/2ton!) and also a spreader that holds 1/2 ton per load. Next, I will begin fertilizing the land, which ingredients will remain somewhat secret but you can get a pretty good idea by studying patents and research papers on the subject at university libraries.

Site selection for truffle orchard development is also very important.. ideally you should look for land that is similar to any that would be ideal for farming.. large open areas that would be easy to irrigate and most importantly, land that has not had prior tree growth recently. This helps limit the amount of domestic mycorhizal competition for the truffle to overcome. Tree selection is also very important. In the primary testing and selection stage, one should test several species prevalent in truffle preduction in France with native candidates (usually those of the Oak variety). Excellent info on this subject can be found in Tom Micheals research thesis on Invitro Truffle Growth.  Once ideal host candidates are determined through random statistical analysis on growth vigor and mycorhizal abundance you should be feeling like a certified bad ass.

Next I will describe a simple method for developing the mycorhizal symbiosis between the tree and the truffle fungis. First, oak seeds must be surface sterilized with a .1% solution of silver nitrate for 20 minutes and then rinsed well with sterile water to remove all remaining traces of the substance. Next one must acquire fresh or frozen truffles allowing them to thaw if frozen then place in a jar or similar container filled with water allowing the truffle to degredate slightly. After degredation, dissolve 1 kg of dextrose or similar simple sugar per 20 liters of truffle suspension, creating what is called a truffle slurry. Some truffliers (growers of the truffle, duh ) like to add snail enzymes to the slurry claiming beneficial effects on mycorhization rates.

Next, you must prepare the potting soil. Each trufflier has their own secret potting mix, but a simple example is 20% loess soil, 30% organic material, 50% vermiculite, dolemite to raise PH and slow release Osmocoat fertilizer. The soil mix should then be pastuerized to remove detrimental microorganisms.
Mix the truffle slurry into the potting soil mix (again, many ideal soil preperations can be found in many truffle patents and research papers) once the tree outgrows its pot after a few months, remove it and gently wash the roots with water to view its inoculation  process, noting growth rates and statistical differences between other saplings. Next, dip the roots in a second mix of truffle slurry before adding it to a larger pot. This should all be done in an enclosed greenhouse or a lab/controlled grow room to minimize contam rates and controlled environmental factors to reduce sapling deaths and increase inoculation rates. After saplings have reached a year or two in age, they may be transferred to the previously prepared land to hopefully live long and happy truffle bearing years, preferably while you sip lemonade and laugh at wall street douche bags.

After 4-10 years you will hopefully begin to notice the ground to begin to knot around the trees, followed by burn circles causing the death of the grass around the trees. You should begin to notice a sweet pungent odor in the air, next tell any low life, favor asking, money borrowing brother in law to go frack a swine flu infested Panama hooker... while you and Chittlins (your prize winning truffle finding pig) cruise town in your drop-top 67 Vette!

Appologies for all the spelling/gramatical errors.. 3am and taking a study break from finals, figured I would share a cliff notes version of my future truffle orchard. Hope everyone enjoys the read, and keep a look out for the picture tutorial ill be making in the next couple weeks! Wish me luck, ill sure as hell need it!

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SOUTHERN said:

That sounds great koopa .. I need to order me some sapplings. I've got some land i'd love to put some of those trees on.

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koopa_troopa said:

So im about to begin work on site preparation for beginning my truffle orchard. Ive received close to 200 acres of farm and field land, along with all the major equipment I will need to cultivate it. Cant believe everything is falling into place so easily for once in my life

  Ive been keeping correspondence with both Tom Michaels (of Tennessee Truffles fame) and Gerard Chevalier (THE truffle expert from France) who have both provided invaluable help. I will be starting a new thread soon which will detail the growth and progress of my opperation, but for now I will lay out some general info to give everybody something to chew on and to also help me get this shit out of my brain lol been obsessively researching all things Truffle related for some time now.. Lord knows the girlfriend is Fn tired of even hearing the word spoken God bless er' lol.

Next week, after my soul raping final exams are over with, I will begin construction of two large greenhouses in which Oak and Filbert saplings will be sprouted and inoculated in. After finishing construction, I will begin land preperation which includes tilling the land, and spreading approximately 1 ton of lime per acre to achieve the proper PH. Thankfully one of my friends owns a Grading company and has very cheap access to bulk amounts of lime ($50 per 1/2ton!) and also a spreader that holds 1/2 ton per load. Next, I will begin fertilizing the land, which ingredients will remain somewhat secret but you can get a pretty good idea by studying patents and research papers on the subject at university libraries.

Site selection for truffle orchard development is also very important.. ideally you should look for land that is similar to any that would be ideal for farming.. large open areas that would be easy to irrigate and most importantly, land that has not had prior tree growth recently. This helps limit the amount of domestic mycorhizal competition for the truffle to overcome. Tree selection is also very important. In the primary testing and selection stage, one should test several species prevalent in truffle preduction in France with native candidates (usually those of the Oak variety). Excellent info on this subject can be found in Tom Micheals research thesis on Invitro Truffle Growth.  Once ideal host candidates are determined through random statistical analysis on growth vigor and mycorhizal abundance you should be feeling like a certified bad ass.

Next I will describe a simple method for developing the mycorhizal symbiosis between the tree and the truffle fungis. First, oak seeds must be surface sterilized with a .1% solution of silver nitrate for 20 minutes and then rinsed well with sterile water to remove all remaining traces of the substance. Next one must acquire fresh or frozen truffles allowing them to thaw if frozen then place in a jar or similar container filled with water allowing the truffle to degredate slightly. After degredation, dissolve 1 kg of dextrose or similar simple sugar per 20 liters of truffle suspension, creating what is called a truffle slurry. Some truffliers (growers of the truffle, duh ) like to add snail enzymes to the slurry claiming beneficial effects on mycorhization rates.

Next, you must prepare the potting soil. Each trufflier has their own secret potting mix, but a simple example is 20% loess soil, 30% organic material, 50% vermiculite, dolemite to raise PH and slow release Osmocoat fertilizer. The soil mix should then be pastuerized to remove detrimental microorganisms.
Mix the truffle slurry into the potting soil mix (again, many ideal soil preperations can be found in many truffle patents and research papers) once the tree outgrows its pot after a few months, remove it and gently wash the roots with water to view its inoculation  process, noting growth rates and statistical differences between other saplings. Next, dip the roots in a second mix of truffle slurry before adding it to a larger pot. This should all be done in an enclosed greenhouse or a lab/controlled grow room to minimize contam rates and controlled environmental factors to reduce sapling deaths and increase inoculation rates. After saplings have reached a year or two in age, they may be transferred to the previously prepared land to hopefully live long and happy truffle bearing years, preferably while you sip lemonade and laugh at wall street douche bags.

After 4-10 years you will hopefully begin to notice the ground to begin to knot around the trees, followed by burn circles causing the death of the grass around the trees. You should begin to notice a sweet pungent odor in the air, next tell any low life, favor asking, money borrowing brother in law to go frack a swine flu infested Panama hooker... while you and Chittlins (your prize winning truffle finding pig) cruise town in your drop-top 67 Vette!

Appologies for all the spelling/gramatical errors.. 3am and taking a study break from finals, figured I would share a cliff notes version of my future truffle orchard. Hope everyone enjoys the read, and keep a look out for the picture tutorial ill be making in the next couple weeks! Wish me luck, ill sure as hell need it!

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