Article

The eastem part of the mediterranean sea is the mariti me facade of the geopolitical Middle East. lts fifteen states cover around 9 million km"', ali subjeeled IO an arid climate. Researeh on loeal microorganisms led to the diseovery of taxa then regarded as being new to Science. Sinee 1940, simply 209 taxonomic units were introduced. For most, collecting sites are in Egypt, PalestineIsrael or Irak ; only one quarter relates to eight other states. Ali novelties are linked with 122 genera comprising 51 Ascomycetes, 41 deuteromycetes and only 15 Basidiomycetes ha1f of which are plant pathogenic forms. Zygomycetes, Oomycetes and Chytridiomyeetes are less represented. Ten new genera of Ascomycetes and deuteromyeetes were proposed with originai sites almost limited to the former three states. Minor taxonomic groupings have thus not reeeived proper attention though following the prevalent aridity interesting relevant discoveries should be expected. For Ascomycetes and deuteromycetes, more interest was directed to their soil-bome fraction than to plant-related forms including standing crops. Basidiomycetes proved to be less explored on the regional scale, despite of a fair number of rust and smut fungi being of economie importance. On the basis of their ecology, a limited fraction of introduced taxa exhibits notable thermotolerant abilities and some even qualify as thermophiles though definitely less xerotolerant fungi were disclosed. Since 1940, less than four taxonomic units were thus proposed per annum. This underlines the limited interest given to the biodiversity of fungi in the Middle East, an area presumed to harbour a specific mycobiota. Mosl proposa1s were achieved by mycologists active in Egypt, Israel and Irak. However, a scrutiny of author's names stress the absence of any collaboration among local taxonomists. These entertain sporadic links with colleagues of the near-by European ce ntres and less so with far ones in North America or elsewhere. The present dominant situation needs to be reversed by promoting inter-state contacts to share present expertise and favour information exehange. Finally, in view of the overwhelming implication of mycology in the fields of bioteehnology, adequate knowledge of the local mycoflora is essential. The establishment of a regional cenlre of fungal taxonomy provided with long standing collaborative links with foreign laboratories should be a decisive appropriate measure.