The laboratory is located in the Agricultural Complex of Bologna. In LAMBA research, teaching and third-party activities are carried out. In particular, morphological and molecular identification of mushrooms, mainly edible, fresh and/or in food preparations, for the fraud prevention are carried out. Morover, the level of mycorrhization of plants inoculated with truffles is assessed for private and public bodies.
LAMBA carries out research mainly on the biology, genetic and ecology of truffles. LAMBA deals with truffle cultivation and with the isolation and cultivation of edible and medicinal mushrooms on alternative new substrates.
In LAMBA the biology, genetics and ecological variability of plants, in relation to environmental and biotic interactions are also studied.
Research topics
• Study of ectomycorrhizal communities in forest environments
• Recovery of agro-industrial waste for mushroom cultivation
• Truffle genomics
• Development of new biotechnologies for mycorrhization
• Creation of green infrastructure
• Propagation of plants for environmental restoration and recovery of ecosystem services
• Study of plant adaptation processes, with regard to dispersion and competition with invasive species.
Laboratory equipment
• Thermal cyclers and all the equipment for molecular analyses
• Biological safety cabinets, autoclaves, thermostats and phytotrons for growing mushrooms
• Microscopes and streomycoscopes and software for the analysis of the images.
Services and consultancy
LAMBA collaborates with MIPAFT (The Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policies), for the analyses on truffle-based products. Morover, LAMBA collaborates with the Antisophistication and Health Nuclei (NAS) of Carabinieri Command of Health for fraud prevention.
LAMBA collaborates with the regional plant protection service of Emilia Romagna Region, for the quality control of truffle mycorrhized plants produced and certified by private nurseries operating in Emilia-Romagna region (D.M. 24 July 2003, D.M. 8 February 2005, R.R. 17 February 2005 and D.M. 20 November 2006, provisions n. 212 of 27 February 2012).
Educational activities and training
LAMBA support:
• Research projects for Bachelor and Master theses
• Training/internship activities for students
• Research projects for PhD students and post-doctoral researchers.