and sustainable management of forests in different regions of the country
(Garibay-Orijel et al. 2009; Pérez-Moreno et al. 2008, 2010).
The recollection of natural production of EEMs has been an important factor
which improve the socioeconomic conditions of rural population in different
regions of the world, including for example southeastern China in the Province of
Yunnan, Tibetan regions (Wang and Liu 2011), central Spain (Martínez et al.
2012), and the Pacific Northwestern of the United States (Pilz and Molina 2002)
and Mexico (Pérez-Moreno et al. 2010). However, it is important to mention that
despite the fact that there is no formal evidence that picking of mushrooms is
harmful for subsequent fruiting, except in cases where mycelia are destroyed
(Arnolds 1995), currently there is a concern related with decline of natural production of some edible ectomycorrhizal musrhooms related with: (i) loss of degradation of natural habitats; and (ii) undesirable harvest methods (Barron and
Emery 2009; Mortimer et al. 2012). Therefore, there is an urgent need for regulatory issues to protect this important non-timber forest product. In this context,
there has been an increased interest in the management of the forest, called mycosilviculture, in order to increase the production of highly priced EEMs (Savoie
and Largeteau 2011). The knowledge and development of mycosylvicultural
practices have mainly received attention in Southeastern Asia, Europe, and North
America. The development of mycosilviculture has been particularly important
due to: (i) the difficulties to commercially cultivate most of the EEMs; and (ii) the
important incomes generated by the picking of EEMs for local populations. For
this reason, different studies have been conducted either to carry out management
guidelines in order to allow a more sustainable harvesting (Mortimer et al. 2012)
or the influence of sylvicultural management to increase natural productions of
EEMs (Salerni and Perini 2004). In Southern Tuscany in Italy Salerni and Perini
(2004) showed that the medium thinning increased the productivity of B. edulis s.l.
while litter removal had a negative effect. More recently, Bonet et al. (2012)
recorded in Northeastern Spain, a significant increase of saffron milk caps
(L. deliciosus) production to Pinus pinaster forest thinning. The productivity of
L. deliciosus sporomes was five times greater in plots in the first year after thinning
and two times greater in the second year, as compared to non-thinned plots.
Finally, it is important to mention that due to the socioeconomic importance of
harvesting natural productions of wild EEMs, rural populations might be
encourage to maintain forest masses in different parts of the world, which are
related with carbon sequestration, a major issue which could reduce the emission
of greenhouse gases and to contribute to ameliorate the global warming.
6.4.2 Truffle Cultivation
Truffles are underground edible fungi, which belong mainly to the Ascomycete
genus Tuber, and are included among the most expensive foods. Some of these
species have been highly esteemed as food delicacies from ancient times in
202
J. Pérez-Moreno and M. Martínez-Reyes
(Garibay-Orijel et al. 2009; Pérez-Moreno et al. 2008, 2010).
The recollection of natural production of EEMs has been an important factor
which improve the socioeconomic conditions of rural population in different
regions of the world, including for example southeastern China in the Province of
Yunnan, Tibetan regions (Wang and Liu 2011), central Spain (Martínez et al.
2012), and the Pacific Northwestern of the United States (Pilz and Molina 2002)
and Mexico (Pérez-Moreno et al. 2010). However, it is important to mention that
despite the fact that there is no formal evidence that picking of mushrooms is
harmful for subsequent fruiting, except in cases where mycelia are destroyed
(Arnolds 1995), currently there is a concern related with decline of natural production of some edible ectomycorrhizal musrhooms related with: (i) loss of degradation of natural habitats; and (ii) undesirable harvest methods (Barron and
Emery 2009; Mortimer et al. 2012). Therefore, there is an urgent need for regulatory issues to protect this important non-timber forest product. In this context,
there has been an increased interest in the management of the forest, called mycosilviculture, in order to increase the production of highly priced EEMs (Savoie
and Largeteau 2011). The knowledge and development of mycosylvicultural
practices have mainly received attention in Southeastern Asia, Europe, and North
America. The development of mycosilviculture has been particularly important
due to: (i) the difficulties to commercially cultivate most of the EEMs; and (ii) the
important incomes generated by the picking of EEMs for local populations. For
this reason, different studies have been conducted either to carry out management
guidelines in order to allow a more sustainable harvesting (Mortimer et al. 2012)
or the influence of sylvicultural management to increase natural productions of
EEMs (Salerni and Perini 2004). In Southern Tuscany in Italy Salerni and Perini
(2004) showed that the medium thinning increased the productivity of B. edulis s.l.
while litter removal had a negative effect. More recently, Bonet et al. (2012)
recorded in Northeastern Spain, a significant increase of saffron milk caps
(L. deliciosus) production to Pinus pinaster forest thinning. The productivity of
L. deliciosus sporomes was five times greater in plots in the first year after thinning
and two times greater in the second year, as compared to non-thinned plots.
Finally, it is important to mention that due to the socioeconomic importance of
harvesting natural productions of wild EEMs, rural populations might be
encourage to maintain forest masses in different parts of the world, which are
related with carbon sequestration, a major issue which could reduce the emission
of greenhouse gases and to contribute to ameliorate the global warming.
6.4.2 Truffle Cultivation
Truffles are underground edible fungi, which belong mainly to the Ascomycete
genus Tuber, and are included among the most expensive foods. Some of these
species have been highly esteemed as food delicacies from ancient times in
202
J. Pérez-Moreno and M. Martínez-Reyes