Can white truffles be cultivated artificially? The latest answer is here
The white truffle fungus is a wild plant fungus similar to matsutake and porcini, mainly produced in Italy. It was first discovered in 1950 and later became a delicacy at banquets, known as the white diamond. Even in a good year, the world production of white truffles is only 3 tons, so many people are looking for methods to cultivate white truffles artificially. Let us take a look below at whether white truffles can be cultivated artificially!
Can white truffles be cultivated artificially?
White truffles cannot currently be cultivated artificially. Although experts in many countries around the world are currently researching how to cultivate white truffles artificially, the results have been unsatisfactory. According to all current reports, artificial cultivation of white truffles is relatively difficult, and there are currently no successful cases. Although the current cultivation method using natural fungi cannot successfully cultivate white truffles, this does not mean that white truffles cannot be cultivated artificially. We hope that one day white truffles can be obtained through artificial cultivation, so that white truffle fungus with such high nutritional value will not be so rare.
Growth habits of white truffle fungus
White truffles prefer alkaline calcareous soil. The soil should be loose and easy to drain and aerate. During the summer growing period, rain is needed, and a little moisture is required but not too much. They are also afraid of heavy and prolonged rain in spring, because white truffles cannot perform photosynthesis on their own to produce the carbohydrates needed for growth. Therefore, they must live symbiotically with the roots of oak trees and use the oak roots to absorb nutrients. For this reason, the growing range of white truffles is generally among clusters of trees with dense forest growth. Artificial cultivation of white truffles is even more difficult. For example, if white truffle mycelium is planted at the roots of oak trees, after seven to ten years, if lucky, there may be a possibility of harvesting white truffles. Overripe white truffles will disintegrate and rot in the soil, release spores, germinate and grow into mycelium, and after encountering oak roots, produce symbiosis and grow. Because white truffles are very picky about their growing environment, they cannot grow if there is even a slight change in sunlight, water amount, or soil pH. This is also why white truffles are so rare.
Auction prices of white truffle fungus
1. On November 16, 2007, it was reported that a white truffle fungus described as the “diamond of delicacies” was purchased by an Italian female gourmet in Hong Kong, China for a record 950,000 Hong Kong dollars. This white truffle fungus weighed 1.2 kilograms, much heavier than the ordinary 40-gram same variety, and on November 18, 2007, it would officially be made into 4 main dishes to be provided for the buyer of the white truffle fungus to enjoy.
2. In 2008, due to the impact of the global financial tsunami, the value of the white truffle fungus, known as the “white diamond”, was inevitably affected. At a charity auction of white truffle fungus held simultaneously in four cities around the world via artificial satellite at the Grand Lisboa in Macao, China, the largest “mushroom king” produced that year by kilogram was won by Ho Hung-sun with a bid of 1.56 million Hong Kong dollars. It weighed 1.08 kilograms, averaging 1,400 yuan per gram.
3. In 2009, the Italian White Truffle International Charity Auction Dinner was held on the evening of the 12th at the Grand Lisboa in Macao, China. Among them, a white truffle fungus weighing up to 800 grams and worth more than diamonds was bid on through satellite live broadcast in four places: Macao, China, London, Rome, and Moscow. After multiple bids, the white truffle fungus was finally won by SJM with 250,000 US dollars. This was also the third consecutive year that the Ho Hung-sun family won the annual world truffle king.
4. On November 11, 2014, a “largest white truffle” was discovered in Alba in northwestern Italy. A buyer had already offered 1 million US dollars to purchase it (about 6.15 million yuan). This white truffle would be auctioned, and the proceeds would be donated to charity. It is reported that this white truffle weighed 1.89 kilograms, and the discoverer was Sabatino, the world's largest supplier of white truffles.