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We're hearing more and more about truffles and the establishment of truffle farms in Quebec, making it a booming industry. However, several myths surround this production; here is some information to better understand truffle farming.

The truffle: an underground mushroom

The truffle is the reproductive organ of a fungus of the genus Tuber. Unlike the mushrooms found in the forest, the truffle does not grow on the surface, but rather underground. Finding truffles, whether in the wild or on a plantation, requires the help of a trained dog or pig.

The truffle is in symbiosis with its plant host, in other words, the mycelium of the fungus and the roots of the tree are linked and make beneficial exchanges for both partners. The truffle is therefore a mycorrhizal fungus, it cannot be cultivated without its tree: oak, hazel, Carolina hornbeam, pines, etc. To cultivate truffles, symbiosis is induced between the fungus and the chosen tree plant, thus creating "truffle plants" which will then be planted in previously prepared soil to establish the truffle orchard.

However, not all truffles are known for their exquisite taste. In fact, many are uninteresting, and only a few of the 200 known truffle species are cultivated.

It should be noted that research has allowed us to learn more in recent years about the ecology of Quebec truffles, notably thanks to the work of Ms. Véronique Cloutier of Druide Sylvestre . Moreover, several still little-known species have been discovered in recent years, which suggests a distinctive potential for Quebec truffle cultivation.

Truffle cultivation in Quebec

Successfully cultivated since 1810, the truffle is a mushroom with strong economic and gastronomic potential. Truffle farming exists in several countries such as France, Italy, the United States, China, Croatia, Sweden and now even in Canada and Quebec. We are seeing initiatives multiplying throughout the province. But, this culture cannot be improvised, it is important to be well supported and above all patient, because the first truffles will be harvested only 6 to 12 years after the establishment of the truffle orchard, and this, if the conditions are favorable.

The most famous and sought-after truffles are the black truffle of Périgord (Tuber melanosporum) and the white truffle of Alba (Tuber magnatum). These extremely lucrative mushrooms can command high prices on the market, depending on their quality, season, weight, origin, etc.

Requiring specific climatic and soil characteristics to ensure their growth, it is not recommended to cultivate these species in Quebec. Thus, among the truffles that can be successfully cultivated here, we can mention the Burgundy truffle (Tuber uncinatum) or the Bianchetto (Tuber borchii). The Appalachian truffle (Tuber canaliculatum) is the native species that has gained the most renown in recent years, given its gastronomic potential and the beauty of the mushroom.

One of the leaders in truffle cultivation in Canada is undoubtedly ArborInnov, the Quebec company that has been operating in this sector of activity since 2009. Being the only owner of truffle orchards currently in production in Quebec, Jérôme Quirion, the founder of ArborInnov, has developed his expertise and his service offering around the production of truffles, high-quality truffle plants, support for the establishment of truffle orchards, etc. In recent years, ArborInnov has supported several producers wishing to establish truffle orchards in Quebec and elsewhere in Canada.

Truffes Québec Inc. was founded in 2015 by innovation enthusiasts and agricultural visionaries. The company's goal is to develop truffle cultivation in Quebec, to promote, market, and process truffles, and to offer consulting services in cultivation monitoring and maintenance. Truffes Québec is also developing an association to support and foster the growth of the truffle market and the number of producers.

For example, 2020 saw the birth of a very interesting initiative through a partnership between Truffe Québec, ArborInnov and La filière mycologique de la Mauricie , who were able to develop an integrated approach aimed at promoting the emergence of truffle farming in the Mauricie region (Appalachian truffles and Burgundy truffles). Learn more about this initiative.

Closer to home, in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region, two producers established a truffle farm in the summer of 2020: Ms. Zoé Blanchette of the Benoît Morneau farm in Kamouraska and Mr. David Robert of the La Jardinière company in Témiscouata. These initiatives aim to produce Appalachian truffles from American hazelnut trees.

Another initiative in the Lower St. Lawrence region worth highlighting is the one that has been carried out for several years by Biopterre , in collaboration with the Comité Filières PFNL et cultures renouvelables du Bas-Saint-Laurent, supporting the 21 producers who have established experimental hybrid hazelnut groves in the region's eight regional county municipalities (RCMs). Trials are being conducted to verify the potential for mycorrhization between the Appalachian truffle and different hybrid hazelnut cultivars, an essential step before considering truffle cultivation in these groves.

In closing, let us emphasize that, although it is still young, it bodes well to see the development of a Quebec truffle industry which, we hope, will be distinctive, lucrative and generate strong benefits for businesses and regions of Quebec.

Kamouraska Mycologique - December 2020