Woodford Truffles SA provides a number of technological services to the truffle farming community in South Africa. Over the years Woodford has consulted with global experts and stakeholders to develop the best possible techniques for growing truffles.
Together, all South African truffle partner farmers bring their experience and knowledge to the community and in turn advance the group's knowledge of local conditions. Woodford Truffles SA provides offers the following services:
Scientific nursery practices
The technology developed and used by Woodford Truffles to produce "truffle trees" is novel and holds huge advantages. The company’s sterile environments and DNA certification ensures superior saplings with thorough mycorrhizal colonisation and thus ultimately higher profit margins. High inoculation levels guarantees colonisation, health and vigour before the truffle trees are supplied to the plantation location. Woodford Truffles uses large container cultivation to ensure optimal root development.
Mapping and site analysis
Locals interested in starting truffle farming can access Woodford Truffle’s database to check if their land falls into a specific set of criteria needed for a successful truffle farming endeavour. Farmers can send their GPS coordinates to the company to analyse. Suitable regions include areas of the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, Dullstroom/Machadodorp and around Clarens in the Free State province.
Soil management and irrigation
Woodford Truffles are invested in ensuring the health and quality of all truffle farms and their soil. Pests and predators that live in the soil can degrade the quality of the truffle produced, which needs to be managed. The mycorrhiza lives on the roots in symbiosis with the host tree, and the company can analyse soil samples to determine the soil health and pH. Leaf samples are taken only if they suspect a mineral deficiency.
Cultivating truffles depends on the technology available to inoculate host trees with spores of the truffle fungus, which occurs under tight...