(Physico-chemical analysis of soils producing desert truffles in Tarom (Iran

In this research, we characterized the physico-chemical properties of different soils from Iranian desert truffles habitats. We selected 12 locations in an arid area in Tarom county (Zanjan, Iran). Soil samples were taken from a depth of about 10–15 cm and different physico-chemical properties were measured. These included CaCO3 content, amount of organic matter, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), as well as clay content. Results showed that contents of CaCO3, pH, EC and organic matter varied within a narrow range in the studied soils. The XRD analyses patterns of clay minerals indicated the presence at least of 5 different minerals including kaolinite, chlorite, illite, smectite and vermiculite in different amounts depending on the specific desert habitat.