by EEMs as producers of bioactive compounds of great economic, ecologic, or
social importance in human health, agriculture, or industry (presented in the
previous sections of this chapter). The use of bioactive compounds from EEMs
could be developed through two strategies: (i) massive cultivation of edible
ectomycorrhizal mycelium in order to industrially extract useful bioactive compounds, as demonstrated in species in the genera Morchella or Tuber (see previous
sections of this chapter); and (ii) wider establishment of commercial plantations,
mainly, but not exclusively, of truffles, with their corresponding economic, social,
and environmental benefits including its contribution to carbon sequestration, by
keeping forest masses, and the subsequent mitigation of global change. Next, three
aspects will be discussed more deeply: (i) the importance of edible ectomycorrhizal fungi as a non-timber forest products and their potential for sustainable
forest management of forests, (ii) the progress in the establishment of truffle
plantations; and the description of some initial attempts of cultivation of other
ectomycorrhizal edible mushroom species in forest plantations, and (iii) the
seminal studies in Mexico, related to the biotechnological development of inoculation with EEMs to native trees.
6.4.1 A Non-Timber Forest Product
Since 1991, the promotion and development of non-wood forest products is currently a priority area of FAO’s Forestry Department (FAO 2013). The objective of
this programme ‘‘… is to improve the sustainable utilization of non-wood forest
products in order to contribute to the wise management of the world’s forests,
to conserve their biodiversity, and to improve income generation and food
security…’’. EEMs constitute an important non-timber forest product of great
environmental, social, and economic importance. Despite the fact that timber has
been historically the major forest product with economic importance, there has
been an increased interest in EEMs in the last decades. In some cases, it has been
estimated that the value of edible mushrooms can be comparable or even higher
than that of timber, with the additional environmental benefits (Palahi et al. 2009;
Díaz-Balteiro et al. 2003).
From the environmental perspective, EEMs play an important ecological role in
the structure, functioning, and maintenance of the natural ecosystems where they
prosper, including boreal, temperate, subtropical, and some tropical biomes. They
are of paramount importance in the following processes: (i) Nutrient ecosystem
recycling, mainly carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus (Pérez-Moreno and Read
2000, 2001a, b; Read and Perez-Moreno 2003); (ii) Control of pathogens;
(iii) Maintenance of food webs for wild life species, for example as food source for
wild animals; (iv) Increased resistance of stress factors including presence of
metals, drought, or increased temperature (Smith and Read 2008); and (v) establishment of common mycelial networks, due to the fact that the ectomycorrhizal
6 Edible Ectomycorrhizal Mushrooms
199
social importance in human health, agriculture, or industry (presented in the
previous sections of this chapter). The use of bioactive compounds from EEMs
could be developed through two strategies: (i) massive cultivation of edible
ectomycorrhizal mycelium in order to industrially extract useful bioactive compounds, as demonstrated in species in the genera Morchella or Tuber (see previous
sections of this chapter); and (ii) wider establishment of commercial plantations,
mainly, but not exclusively, of truffles, with their corresponding economic, social,
and environmental benefits including its contribution to carbon sequestration, by
keeping forest masses, and the subsequent mitigation of global change. Next, three
aspects will be discussed more deeply: (i) the importance of edible ectomycorrhizal fungi as a non-timber forest products and their potential for sustainable
forest management of forests, (ii) the progress in the establishment of truffle
plantations; and the description of some initial attempts of cultivation of other
ectomycorrhizal edible mushroom species in forest plantations, and (iii) the
seminal studies in Mexico, related to the biotechnological development of inoculation with EEMs to native trees.
6.4.1 A Non-Timber Forest Product
Since 1991, the promotion and development of non-wood forest products is currently a priority area of FAO’s Forestry Department (FAO 2013). The objective of
this programme ‘‘… is to improve the sustainable utilization of non-wood forest
products in order to contribute to the wise management of the world’s forests,
to conserve their biodiversity, and to improve income generation and food
security…’’. EEMs constitute an important non-timber forest product of great
environmental, social, and economic importance. Despite the fact that timber has
been historically the major forest product with economic importance, there has
been an increased interest in EEMs in the last decades. In some cases, it has been
estimated that the value of edible mushrooms can be comparable or even higher
than that of timber, with the additional environmental benefits (Palahi et al. 2009;
Díaz-Balteiro et al. 2003).
From the environmental perspective, EEMs play an important ecological role in
the structure, functioning, and maintenance of the natural ecosystems where they
prosper, including boreal, temperate, subtropical, and some tropical biomes. They
are of paramount importance in the following processes: (i) Nutrient ecosystem
recycling, mainly carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus (Pérez-Moreno and Read
2000, 2001a, b; Read and Perez-Moreno 2003); (ii) Control of pathogens;
(iii) Maintenance of food webs for wild life species, for example as food source for
wild animals; (iv) Increased resistance of stress factors including presence of
metals, drought, or increased temperature (Smith and Read 2008); and (v) establishment of common mycelial networks, due to the fact that the ectomycorrhizal
6 Edible Ectomycorrhizal Mushrooms
199