The cultivation of desert truffle Terfezia claveryi using Helianthemum almeriense as a host plant has recently become a solid alternative crop in the Mediterranean region due to its adaptation to arid and semiarid ecosystems, which are expected to increase during the following years because of climate change. However, management models are still being developed in order to improve and stabilize the production, which varies greatly from one year to another. According to gatherers and farmers, one of the key factors for desert truffle production is the plant phenology in spring, which, in turn, depends on environmental conditions. In this manuscript, we have characterized the physiological, morphological, and molecular responses of the mycorrhizal plants in spring, coinciding with the fructification period of the plant and fungal species. Thanks to this characterization, a sigmoidal relationship between stomatal conductance and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) was found, which can be used as a marker of plant phenological switch. In order to confirm that this phenology status is related to desert truffle fructification, this marker has been successfully correlated to total truffle production. The results of this manuscript suppose a big step forward that will help to develop management models for the desert truffle crop.

中文翻译：

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春季气孔对蒸气压亏缺的反应是沙漠松露结果的标志。

利用向日葵栽培沙漠松露菌Terfezia claveryi。作为寄主植物，由于适应干旱和半干旱生态系统，最近已成为地中海地区的主要替代作物，由于气候变化，预计在接下来的几年中这种生态系统的种植将增加。但是，仍在开发管理模型以改善和稳定生产，每年之间差异很大。根据采集者和农民的说法，沙漠松露生产的关键因素之一是春季的植物物候学，而春季的植物物候又取决于环境条件。在这份手稿中，我们表征了菌根植物在春季的生理，形态和分子反应，并与植物和真菌物种的结实期相吻合。由于这种特征，发现气孔导度与蒸汽压亏缺（VPD）之间呈S型关系，可用作植物物候转换的标志。为了确认这种物候状态与沙漠松露的果实化有关，该标记已成功地与松露的总产量相关联。该手稿的结果表明迈出了一大步，这将有助于开发沙漠松露作物的管理模型。