Potential verification of a host plant for the desert truffle Terfezia pfeilii by molecular methods

The ITS region of the rRNA genes was amplified using DNA extracted from Ter fezia pfeilii fruit-bodies. Two types of restriction fragment profiles were revealed among 11 fruit-bodies by the Hinf I restriction enzyme. An additi onal four truffles collected from the same field one year later were found to have a mixed profile combining both types. Germinated spores from one of these mixed-profile individuals had a single profile belonging to one or t he other of the two types. Roots collected around and underneath one Terfez ia fruit-body were traced to different plants. Roots of a watermelon plant (Citrullus vuligaris) showed a non-vesicular-arbuscular endomycorrhizal ass ociation. Restricted ITS amplification fragments of mycorrhized roots from C, vulgaris were shown to match T. pfeilii fruit-body ITS-RFLP fragments. T he significance of this finding with regard to T. pfeilii potential host ra nge is discussed.