The Agricultural Research Center’s Department of Guidance and Media has announced the first documented presence of Morchella esculenta, commonly known as the morel mushroom, in Libya. The discovery was made by researcher Asmaa Al-Mabrouk in Ras Al-Turab, the Green Mountain region.
This wild mushroom is considered rare and distinctive, with native habitats across North America, Europe, and Asia. In recent years, it has gradually spread to parts of North Africa, including Morocco, Algeria, and Egypt, now officially recorded in Libya for the first time.
The finding was published in a peer-reviewed journal indexed in Scopus, based on precise morphological analysis confirming the species’ presence in northeastern Libya.
Morchella mushrooms are known for their high nutritional value and biologically active compounds, which offer recognized medicinal benefits such as anti-inflammatory effects and immune modulation. They thrive in diverse habitats, including fire-damaged forests, grasslands, and orchards.
Researcher Asmaa Al-Mabrouk emphasized that future studies will explore the environmental and economic value of this mushroom, which represents a promising natural resource for Libya with potential applications in food, medicine, and sustainable development.
