MYCOLOGICAL AND ECOLOGICAL STUDY OF THE WHITE DESERT TRUFFLE (Tirmania nivea,  DESF. TRAPPE 1971) IN OUED M’YA REGION (OUARGLA, ALGERIAN SAHARA)

L BRADAI; S BISSATI; H CHENCHOUNI

L BRADAI Université Kasdi Merbah Ouargla , Laboratoire des Bio-ressources Sahariennes : Préservation et Valorisation, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie et Sciences de la Terre et de l’Univers, , Algérie.
S BISSATI Université Kasdi Merbah Ouargla , Laboratoire des Bio-ressources Sahariennes : Préservation et Valorisation, Faculté des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie et Sciences de la Terre et de l’Univers, , Algérie.
H CHENCHOUNI Université de Tébessa,Département des Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, Faculté des Sciences Exactes et Sciences de la Nature et de la Vie, , 12000 Tébessa, Algérie

Keywords: White truffle, Tirmania nivea, mycological study, Oued M’ya, rainfall

Abstract

This study focuses on the bio-ecological study of Tirmania nivea in the region of Oued M’ya (Northern Sahara, Algeria). Mycological description of the species has determined that the hypogeous fungus lives in mycorrhizal with Helianthemum plants (Helianthemum lippii) belonging to the family Cistaceae. The white desert truffle colonizes sandy soils that have slightly alkaline pH and low fertility because of the slight values of mineral and organic matter. The rainfall, which controls the development cycle of the fungus, should be well distributed over time, especially during the months of October–December and/or January.