The black truffle of Provence, Tuber Melanosporum is the most tasty and most sought after, it’s true that watches over it in Provence god Ventoux superb giant mountain which gives it strength and flavor.
But the truffle “wild” scarce increasingly for various reasons very often attributable to human activities and mismanagement of our nature. Two centuries ago about a peasant Ventoux began trying to produce truffles sowing acorns oak (tree conducive to the development of truffles). This was the first step to cultivate truffles. Around 1900 French production reached its peak with a thousand tons produced per year and then fall sharply.
The empirical method of peasant Ventoux found its limits and they are researchers who began the task to create plants mycorhhizés to perfect the method and ensure a more abundant production.
The method by placing the poinr researchers are to plant seedlings of trees instead of planting acorns. This approach allows for a harvest but without providing absolute certainty because plants are often sterile and dry or rainy remains the master. A dry summer dry truffles and harvesting is scarce.
It is difficult to discipline a fungus that keeps its mystery and remains the only master of his life.
To reap the truffles “elevated” trufficulteurs always use an animal to find out is a pig is a dog which marks the location because we can not dig in the dark under trees without risking destroying crops future.