Tuber borchii Vittad. is an edible truffle with excellent culinary qualities which is eaten either fresh such as in truffled cheese or in cooked dishes such as in sauces or with pasta. Its common name is bianchetto (whitish truffle) to distinguish it from the more expensive Italian white truffle (Tuber magnatum Pico). T. borchii has an high ecological adaptability. Although it is commonly found in littoral calcareous sandy soils with pH 7 to 8 it can also be found in soils with a wide range of textures as well as in sub-acidic soils with pH 6 to 7. It forms ectomycorrhizae with broad leaf trees (oaks, hazel, poplar and linden) and coniferous species as pines and cedar. Its broad ecological requirements mean that T. borchii can be cultivated in areas that are not suited for other highly valued species of truffle such as Tuber magnatum and Tuber melanosporum (the black truffle). T. borchii infected plants can be easily produced using spores but the ease with which it can be pure cultured mean that mycelial inoculation techniques can also be used. These latter techniques were used to perfect an in vitro mycorrhizal synthesis system which has become a model for the study of Ascomycete ectomycorrhizal fungi. In the last ten years T. borchii cultivation has become popular in Italy and it has been successfully introduced to other countries such as New Zealand. The first production occurs 3-6 years after planting and it seems to be advantaged by careful cultural practices including gradual thinning and regular pruning.