Flora Todesco

Flora Todesco come from the North-East of France where she completed her graduate studies between the cities of Metz and Nancy.

After obtaining her two-years technical degree in bioanalysis, she was student in bachelor’s degree in experimental and analytical biology when she discovered, in the course of an internship, the field of truffle with Claude Murat, Research Engineer, at INRA Grand-Est Nancy. During this internship, she participated in the study of the genetic diversity of the black truffle Tuber melanosporum, in the truffle orchard owned by Dr. Christophe Robin, as well as in the study of the sexual reproduction by analysis the mating type of truffles and in the soil.

After a two-years professional experience in biomedical field, Flora reached again the INRA Grand-Est where she work, since the beginning of 2017, as Engineer Assistant with Claude Murat.

She is responsible of the experiments realized in the frame of a national experimental project called CULTURTRUF. This project aims to study the effects of cultivation techniques and climate on truffle mycelium dynamics in the soil, mainly Tuber melanosporum (the Perigord black truffle) and Tuber aestivum (the Burgundy truffle).

Specialized in molecular biology, Flora has developed several protocols 1) to identify and quantify the DNA of Tuber melanosporum mating types in the soil; 2) to certify the inoculum used to produce inoculated seedlings under the know-how licenses between INRA and the Agritruffe and Robin nurseries; 3) to quantify the DNA of Tuber aestivum in the soil.

These various studies have already been the subject of several scientific articles in international journals for which she is co-author.

She also analyses the effect of soil hydric potential and temperature on truffle production and truffle soil mycelium variation. She works in direct contact with regional French technicians specialized in truffle cultivation which sharpened her curiosity about truffle orchards management. She is therefore also aware of the latest technical advances in France in truffle field management.

The results obtained in the project will eventually provide new guidelines to optimize farming practices and water availability of soil in truffle orchards.