“Unveiling Nature’s Delicacies: Two New Edible Truffle Species Unearthed in Eastern North America”

With the help of specially trained truffle-hunting dogs, two new species within the genus Tuber have been identified.

Tuber cumberlandense. Image credit: Sow et al., doi: 10.1080/00275514.2024.2407755.

“Tuber represents a genus of ectomycorrhizal fungi that produces underground fruiting bodies commonly recognized as truffles,” stated senior researcher Dr. Gregory Bonito from Michigan State University alongside his team.

“Numerous Tuber varieties are well-regarded for their distinct fragrances and extensive culinary applications.”

“Similar to many other fungi that form truffles, Tuber species have lost the capability to forcibly release spores into the atmosphere; they predominantly depend on mycophagous animals to consume and subsequently disseminate their spores.”

“Entities such as porcupines, squirrels, pigs, and humans have been documented to ingest Tuber species while being sensitive to the aromatic compounds released by truffles.”

One of the newly identified species, Tuber canirevelatum, was named in recognition of truffle dogs and Monza, the dog who uncovered it with her handler Lois Martin.

The other species, Tuber cumberlandense, was denominated after the Cumberland Plateau, where it was located by Margaret Townsend and her truffle-detecting dog, Luca.

Tuber canirevelatum. Image credit: Sow et al., doi: 10.1080/00275514.2024.2407755.

“There exists a rich tradition of employing specially trained dogs — and less often pigs — to track truffle scents for locating Tuber in natural settings,” the scientists noted.

“Truffle-seeking dogs are frequently utilized for commercial truffle procurement, due to their superior ability to locate ripe truffles more efficiently and reliably than alternative methods, like raking.”

“Raking the earth to unearth and gather truffles can lead to damage of both the roots of host plants and the fungi ascomata.”

“Moreover, it can also result in the collection of immature truffles.”

“However, proficient truffle-hunting dogs are adept at consistently finding mature truffles, thereby diminishing collection effort and enhancing harvest quality.”

“Consequently, employing truffle dogs for commercial truffle collection has become the standard practice among truffle growers across the globe.”

While Tuber canirevelatum is currently only recognized from eastern Tennessee, in the United States, Tuber cumberlandense has been opportunistically harvested for commercial distribution from orchards throughout eastern North America.

“In the past, the focus was on cultivating and marketing European truffle varieties, but there is an increasing enthusiasm toward the cultivation, wild-harvesting, and commercialization of truffle species that are indigenous to North America,” Dr. Bonito added.

“An increasing number of individuals are attempting to cultivate truffles, indicating a greater need for truffle dogs to sniff out these subterranean fungal delicacies.”

“If you have truffles valued at $20,000 growing below the surface, locating them before they spoil is crucial, thus the role of dogs is vital.”

The discovery is documented in a study published in the journal Mycologia.

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Alassane Sow et al. 2024. Tuber cumberlandense and T. canirevelatum, two newly identified edible Tuber species from eastern North America discovered by truffle-hunting dogs. Mycologia 116 (6); doi: 10.1080/00275514.2024.2407755