Effect of Irrigation Methods on Black Truffle Production

• Published in: Agronomy (Basel) Vol. 13; no. 10; p. 2505
• Main Authors: Magarzo, Alba, Alba, Sonia, Santos del Blanco, Luis, Franco Manchón, Iván, Olaizola, Jaime, Martín Pinto, Pablo, Mediavilla, Olaya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 01.10.2023
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Analysis; Climate change; Drip irrigation; drip irrigation system; Drought; Economic importance; Economics; Energy consumption; Environmental impact; Global temperature changes; Impact analysis; Irrigation; Irrigation effects; Irrigation efficiency; irrigation system improvement; Irrigation systems; Methods; micro-sprinkler irrigation; Moisture content; Plantations; Production methods; Profitability; Quercus ilex; Rain; Spain; Sprinkler systems; Trees; truffle cultivation; truffle farming; Water; Water availability; Water content; Water scarcity; Water use; Water use efficiency; Spain
• ISSN: 2073-4395; 2073-4395
• DOI: 10.3390/agronomy13102505

Spain is one of the main producers of black truffle (Tuber melanosporum Vittad.), a fungus of great economic importance. Black truffles are usually cultivated in Quercus ilex orchards, as water availability is one of the most important factors influencing truffle production. Optimizing watering systems is essential to reduce the amount of water wasted. Nevertheless, up to now, no study has been carried out comparing the efficiency of different irrigation systems in truffle plantations. The aim of this study was to compare the efficiency of two different irrigation systems, namely a drip irrigation system and a micro-sprinkler system, in a Quercus ilex plantation situated in Burgos, Spain. Our data showed that there were no differences between the two irrigation systems in terms of truffle yields, the number of truffles, quality (based on truffle size), or the date of truffle harvesting. However, when other parameters were taken into consideration, such as the economic and environmental impact of installing and running these systems, drip irrigation was deemed the superior irrigation system because it uses less water. This study validates for the first time the use of drip irrigation rather than a micro-sprinkler system (the most commonly used in truffle plantations) because of its greater water use efficiency, which is an increasingly important consideration given future climate change scenarios marked by global water scarcity.