Species-specific primers for the identification of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Tuber macrosporum Vittad.

Limitations in the use of morphological traits to identify ectomycorrhizae have led to the development of species-specific molecular markers. Herein, we report a PCR-based technique for the reliable molecular identification of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Tuber macrosporum Vittad. Species-specific primers were designed from an alignment of internal transcribed spacer rDNA sequences from Tuber spp. and from the most common ectomycorrhizal contaminants found in the root systems of truffle-infected plants. The primers were tested for selective amplification using both different truffles and different ectomycorrhizae and were found to identify T. macrosporum successfully. The application of the primers in certifying the quality of truffle-inoculated seedlings is discussed.