France has learned how to grow white truffles

Specialists of the National Institute of Agricultural Research of France (INRAE) for the first time in history managed to grow white truffles in artificial conditions.

White truffle, which is also called Italian truffle, usually costs 5 times more than black truffle. Previously, it could be found only in natural conditions and only in a certain region of Italy, reports BFMTV.

The research program of INRAE and ROBIN Nurseries studied five plantations on the territory of France in different climatic zones and different regions. They managed to harvest three white truffles in 2019 and four already in 2020.

"This is the first time that a crop of mushrooms of the Tuber magnatum species has been harvested in a plantation outside the geographical distribution area of these truffles," said Bruno Robin, head of the French nurseries.

Until then, only the black and Burgundy truffle had been cultivated in France. These mushrooms grow in the upper layers of the soil, forming symbiotic communities with trees of different species. They grow in certain climatic conditions that provide sufficient water during the growing season from September through December. Dogs and pigs are commonly used to hunt for truffles.

The white truffle, also known as the Italian truffle, which is worth five times as much, was previously only found in the wild, and in a very limited geographical area. The results of the study showed that the culture of breeding white truffle is quite possible outside of a certain geographical region.