Summary Mycological days in Palencia
MONDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2018

• 16: 30-17: 15 Presentation Results of the truffle farming program in Palencia.
In the XXIX Edition of the Palencia agroforestry Mycological Conference that took place last December, they presented the Technical Manual for the management of truffle plantations (you can download it at the end of the page) supported by the 2016-2018 Development Program of the Diputación de Palencia.


• 17: 30-19: 30 Gastronomic event: Among so many mushrooms and truffles.
Several cooks members of the Entre Tantas Association came to tell their anecdotes and experiences in their field, gastronomy, related to the so valuable black truffle and mycology in general. Another aspect to which they gave great importance is the high nutritional value of some mushrooms and fungi. At the end they offered a tasting of different truffled dishes.
This Association Entre Tantas, which emerged in 2016 brings together cooks and producers who aim to promote the region's gastronomy and quality food.

TUESDAY, DECEMBER 11, 2018

• 17: 00-18: 00 Present and future of truffles and truffle farming in Palencia.
The first presentation of the day was given by Juan Andrés Oria de Rueda, director of the Chair of Mycology. He made a brief summary of the first signs of black truffle and a tour of presence in the province of Palencia, highlighting the area of Antiquity and Tabanera de Cerrato with greater abundance of this fungus, an area adjacent to the province of Burgos. This review of the history of this type of mushrooms concluded in the deforestation and rural depopulation that plagues Castilla y León. The shortage of black truffle and other fungi is increased by the lack of livestock or use of firewood in our mountains.

• 18: 00-19: 00 Choice of optimal terrains for the cultivation of black truffle. Edaphoclimatic characteristics.
Then María Hernández Rodríguez, forestry engineer, addressed the most important aspects concerning the suitable lands to implant a truffle plantation.
To obtain fungi is the main base of the plantation, once this has been achieved, the important thing is to encourage the fungus to bear fruit. The fungus Tuber melanosporum forms symbiosis with the roots of some forest plants, oak (Quercus ilex) and gall oak (Quercus faginea) being the most successful mycorrhizal fungi.
Regarding the edaphological characteristics, the following range of parameters was mentioned:

Parameter --- Value
Texture --- Free
Slope --- Light (for good drainage)
pH --- 7.5 - 8.4 (below 7.5 it is recommended to make limestone amendments)
Limestones --- Calcareous or calcareous soils (1 - 80% limestone)
Organic matter --- 1 - 11%
C / N --- 5 - 15
P2O5 assimilable --- assimilable 5-150 ppm
N 0,1 --- - 0,5%
K2O --- assimilable 50-500 ppm

• 19: 00-20: 00 The mycorrhized plant as a key starting point in the success of a plantation.
Olaya Mediavilla, forestry engineer and Irene Bocos, a graduate in environmental sciences, discussed the importance of one of the first phases of planting, the mycorrhized plant.
The black truffle (Tuber melanosporum) is an ectomycorrhizal mycorrhiza that contains 1-4 spores in its ascas, the main difference to distinguish it from other species such as Tuber Amalfi, Tuber Aestivum or Tuber indicum, the latter being the Chinese truffle that is invading the markets due to its low price compared to the previous ones.
The spores of these fungi germinate in March where the first primordia are generated and their activity is paralyzed, in October it begins to grow and in winter its fructification and dispersal by animals is completed during the winter until March.
Mycorrhization in the IDForest-Applied Biotechnology nurseries is based on acorns (washed and superficially sterilized) for sowing in open-base containers with substrates such as sterile perlite or vermiculite. In March (3-4 months after sowing in boxes) they inoculate the aerial part after a choice of the best plants. Healthy plants are well-repotted plants that are not holeyed and have many secondary roots (no taproot). The fungal material is analyzed to know the species of Tuber that is treated, it must have a geographical origin, a certain maturity and quality of spores.
They use two methods of inoculation, one based on dehydrated truffle (truffle powder sprinkled on the root or on the substrate) and truffle without dehydrating by making a truffle "shake" with distilled water that is injected into the container of the plant or introducing the root of the plant in said mixture.
These nurseries follow three quality standards:
- Mycorrhizal quality:% mycorrhization, number of mycorrhizal apices, etc. Fischer method and Hills.
- Forest quality: diameter of the root necks (2 mm.), Multiple stems, without deformation of the root system, no decay or necrosis or parasites or pests, etc.
-Health quality

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 12, 2018

• 17: 00-18: 00 Innovative management of truffles in the Cerrato.
Iván Franco Manchón, forestry and environmental engineer, explained the steps to follow and materials to use when starting a truffle plantation.
Regarding the preparation phase of the terrain, it is advisable to carry out a subsoiling on clay and limestone soils and perform subsoiling and plowing in more sandy soils. Recommend to make a planting hole with substrate and black truffle inoculum added. Perform the pruning of the oaks with sap stop and perform weeds and grains from the year 0 to the 4th year in the May-June season.
Suggests to make truffle nests from the 3rd year, providing spores, bacteria and substrates and repeat the process every two or three years.
A topic of importance in the presentation, and in general is the subject of irrigation of the plantation. Knowing that irrigation exists by means of electric pump, irrigation by solar installation, by gas pump or irrigation cannon, the one of greater success is the irrigation by micro aspersion, taking into account always the particular characteristics of each plantation.

• 18: 00-19: 00 Subsidies and grants to carry out truffle plantations.
Javier Cuesta Bachiller, forest engineer, addressed the issue of subsidies for this type of plantations. The only current subsidy for plantations in Castilla y León is the support for the promotion of plantations of species with high value forest productions co-financed by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD), for the year 2018, published on April 19, 2018 and whose term ended on June 8, 2018.
You can subsidize plantations of: ENCINA mycorrhized with BLACK TRUFFLE, Stone pine, quality wood: Walnut, Cherry, Rowan or Ash and Chestnut for fruit.
The minimum surface 1 ha. Maximum surface 25 ha.
The eligible actions are the technical memory of the plantation, the preparation of the land, the plants, the plantation itself and the enclosures. (Protectors and fencing must not exceed 50% of the land preparation budget).
The resolution of this aid will be 6 months from the completion date, around January 2019.
The works granted may be started on the day following the notification of the resolution granting the grant and shall end on May 31, 2019, inclusive.
Once the works have been completed, the justification for payment must be requested.

• 19: 00-20: 00 Round table "Experiences of truffing in the Cerrato".

Owners of truffle plantations in the province of Palencia debated about the different experiences that had happened to them in this incognito and hidden sector.

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