# Morphological, Genetic, and Microbiological Characterization of Tuber magnatum Picco Populations from “Alto Molise”, Central-Southern Italy

## TL;DR

This study characterizes white truffle populations in Italy's Molise region using morphology, genetics, and microbiology to better understand their biological traits and regional differences.

## Contribution

The study identifies unique genetic and microbial traits in white truffle populations from Alto Molise, contributing to regional truffle provenance research.

## Key findings

- Significant differences in peridium thickness and microbiota were found among truffle populations.
- A unique haplotype was identified in some truffle fruiting bodies using the SCAR A21-inf marker.
- No significant variation in ascocarp weight or maturation degree was observed between populations.

## Abstract

The Molise region in Central-Southern Italy is a major contributor to national truffle production, particularly of the highly prized Tuber magnatum Picco, accounting for approximately 40% of the country’s total output and hosting the highest density of truffle harvesters. Despite this, research on the Italian white truffle populations from this area remains limited. Therefore, the primary objective of the present study was to address this knowledge gap by characterizing four T. magnatum Picco populations collected from the municipalities of Agnone, Carovilli, Castel del Giudice, and Pietrabbondante, located in “Alto Molise”, through morphological, genetic, and microbiological investigations. The statistical analyses revealed significant differences in peridium thickness and ascocarp-associated microbiota even though pairwise comparisons did not identify statistically significant differences between specific population pairs. No significant variation was observed in ascocarp weight and maturation degree. Furthermore, the presence of a unique haplotype at the single-locus marker SCAR A21-inf was confirmed in a subset of the analyzed fruiting bodies. Collectively, these findings expand current biological knowledge of the Molise white truffle and provide a foundation for future research aimed at identifying specific provenance markers to discriminate truffle populations at both regional and local scales.