Truffles are culinary delicacy which are produced from the fungal genus, Tuber. However, factors influencing their production in truffle orchards are not well understood. It is suspected that competitive fungal species that form symbiotic ectomycorrhizal (ECM) relationships with plant roots may lower truffle yields. This research aims to investigate how ECM host plant abundance and soil depth affect the distribution of competitive ECM fungi, and ultimately truffle production in southern Idaho. This study will sample seven sites, including three truffle orchards and four experimental stations. Soil samples will be collected from plots with varying ECM host plant densities at multiple depths. Subsequently, soil pH and organic matter content will be measured. Lastly, molecular and bioinformatic techniques will be used to identify and quantify the different ECM fungal species observed. It is hypothesized that a high abundance of ECM hosts will be correlated to a high abundance of competitive ECM fungi. Furthermore, it is expected that the abundance of ECM competitors will decrease with increasing soil depth. These changes in ECM distribution may negatively impact truffle production. The results may contribute to the development of effective agronomic practices which can maximize truffle yields and mitigate competitive ECM fungal abundance.
