plantation

NEWS

Prof. Paul Thomas (our Managing Director) has appeared on several TV programmes, radio shows and in many written articles. Specific areas of expertise include the biology, cultivation, hunting and cooking methods of the wide range of truffle species. If you would like an interview or require information for an article then please use our contact form and we would be very happy to help.

Below, our most recent news articles are displayed and our back-catalogue is open for browsing.

June 19, 2015

More than a mere truffle

Last month saw the annual Global Alba Truffle Action, medieval Castello di Grinzane in a part of Italy famous for its wine and truffles. This year’s largest white truffle weighed in at a gigantic 900g, with the lucky bidder eventually paying an enormous 105,000 Euros (£89,611.40). This worked out at 117 Euros per gram, which is a massive sum of money but, believe it or not, it is actually less than last year’s record price of 133 Euros per gram.
June 18, 2015

Christmas deliveries and gift ideas

Well it’s that time of year again and by now you should be well in the midst of the Christmas shopping frenzy so hopefully this could help a few of you with Christmas present ideas. Our truffle-trees for gifts are supplied with full growing instructions and a gift certificate in attractive festive packaging, ready to be wrapped and put under the Christmas tree. As the truffle-trees are in their dormant state, they can happily remain in their card boxes and wrapped as a present until the New Year, if kept in a cool and dark place. You can order anytime through the shop.
June 18, 2015

Truffles in Cyprus

Last month the first wild truffles were found in Cyprus by Sonia, the only truffle hunting dog in the country. The truffles were found in the Limassol and Paphos district of the island and were identified as the Summer Truffle by the mycological association. The summer truffle has a broad tolerance of temperatures and water levels and is found in the wild all over Europe, from the UK to North Africa and towards the end of last month MSL helped set up the first truffle plantation in Cyprus. All this truffley news is very exciting and hopefully
June 18, 2015

White truffle available now!

We are now taking shipments of fresh white truffles here at MSL and you can order any amount, from just 10g to several kilos. For the curious who would like to try one of the most expensive foods in the world, this is a great opportunity to try a sample from just £15 (for 10g). White truffles, Tuber magnatum, are one of the most expensive foods in the world and prices reached a record level of £10,000/Kg in 2004! White truffles currently cannot be cultivated (we’re working on it) so these are wild-harvested and of premium quality.
June 18, 2015

Grant offers up to £9,000 per hectare to grow truffles in Wales

Recently pupils from Moncreiffe Primary School in Perth were digging up their vegetable patch and discovered a “mystery” truffle. Head teacher Karen Young said: “Children from one of the school gardening groups were harvesting their potatoes, onions and beans, when they dug up something they didn’t recognise.”
June 18, 2015

Truffles found in a school in Perth

Recently pupils from Moncreiffe Primary School in Perth were digging up their vegetable patch and discovered a “mystery” truffle. Head teacher Karen Young said: “Children from one of the school gardening groups were harvesting their potatoes, onions and beans, when they dug up something they didn’t recognise.”
June 18, 2015

Help for UK Truffle Hunters

June 18, 2015

Radioactive truffles

In 1986 the Chernobyl disaster spewed out tonnes of radioactive fallout into the air, which eventually spread and settled across Europe. Radioactive Caesium – 137 is still settling in Württemberg (South West Germany), and has reached levels that have resulted in some low-level contamination of wild mushrooms, including truffles. Boars that have foraged on the affected fungi in Southern Germany have been found to be too radioactive for human consumption.
June 18, 2015

Seminar in Bulgaria

At the end of September Catriona the ecologist here at MSL flew out to Sofia, Bulgaria to attend a conference about cultivating the summer truffle. It was a big event with a huge turnout and even the Mayor of Veliko Turnovo showed up. Bulgaria has a great climate for growing the summer truffle, and we would love to set up some plantations over there. We have certainly got a lot of interest from the local land owners, so maybe MSL truffle domination of Bulgaria isn’t that far away.
  • Samantha Ellis

    From guidance in orchard establishment, tree supply and management to our own truffle distribution network, we've got all angles covered

    Samantha Ellis
    Business Development
  • Dr Paul Thomas

    Thorough and scientific methodologies, attention to detail and having a committed partner at every step of the way, is the only reliable approach to truffle cultivation

    Dr Paul Thomas
    General Director
  • Daniel Paskin

    With our own genetics lab and research sites in 23 countries, we are truly world-leading in the field

    Daniel Paskin
    Nursery Manager
July 14, 2015

Partner’s Truffle Story

One of our partners from America has recently written an incredible article about her experiences of becoming a truffle producer. It is a fantastic read, especially for anyone who is thinking of investing in a plantation. The article can be found here: http://www.carolinaalumnireview.com/carolinaalumnireview/20140708/?pg=24…
July 14, 2015

‘Jumping Genes’ Help Truffles Adapt to Environment.

A newly published study in the journal Genome Biology by scientists from UCLA and colleagues in Italy, France and Taiwan reports on the truffle’s unique genetic makeup. “The fungi have a complex genome, with a preponderance of repetitive and mobile elements,” said Simone Ottonello of the laboratory of functional genomics and protein engineering at the Univ. of Parma in Italy. “The genome resembles the composition of the human genome, which also uses reversible methylation — and other mechanisms — to deal with repeated and mobile elements.”
July 14, 2015

Truffle growing seminar and truffle dinner

On October 17th 2014, we are looking forward to a night celebrating truffles at Sheffield’s Inox Restaurant. The evening will include a journey through the fascinating world of truffles hosted by our own expert mycologist, Dr Paul Thomas. You will have the opportunity to taste a selection of truffles over drinks before a surprise three course menu is served. The head chef, Joe Berry, will create the menu for the evening using truffles to complement the finest seasonal ingredients.
July 14, 2015

Truffle cultivation

You can grow truffles in a wide range of climatic zones worldwide. In northern temperate zones down to northern Africa, its possible to cultivate summer/burgundy truffles (Tuber aestivum syn uncinatum) whereas the winter truffle (Tuber melanosporum) can be grown in Mediterranean climates. In fact, there are truffle species for nearly all climates and soil types, even some white truffle species can be cultivated. Here at Mycorrhizal Systems, truffle cultivation is our thing and we run research sites in nearly 30 countries worldwide, working with a very wide number of host plants and truffle species. Around 95% of all the truffles in France are now cultivated.