Graduate student of the National Institute of deserts, flora and fauna, entrepreneur Dovlet Berdyev received a patent from the state service for intellectual property of Turkmenistan for the invention of a method for growing edible mushrooms Pleurotus ostreatus (oyster mushrooms) based on a nutrient substrate. This is reported by the State publishing service.

Dovlet Berdyev leases a plot of land on the territory of the dayhan Association "Durun" of the Baharden etrap of the Akhal velayat, and on the basis of his diverse economy has developed a new approach to growing oyster mushrooms using vermicompost based on raw cotton processing waste.

He himself is interested in innovative methods in agricultural production, and has been working for several years in the field of eco-friendly gardening and greenhouse management.

As a result of the experiment, which he conducted together with Professor Hojanazar Orazov, the first trial batch of the crop was obtained. A calculation was made: one hectare of oyster mushroom plantation can produce up to 80-100 tons of nutritious protein products per year.

"Due to the high content of proteins, fats, and carbohydrates in the cotton husk, the nutritional value of the new substrate has significantly improved compared to the traditional one - with the use of straw, ground corn cobs, or sawdust. The use of vermicompost in the mixture made it possible to enrich the composition with organic nitrogen, strengthen the metabolism, improve the growth of mushrooms, increase the content of useful elements of mycelium fruits, the volume and taste of the crop. In addition, the use of vermicompost when growing mushrooms has reduced the risk of contamination of the material by certain pathogens. Currently, research on the study and development of new types of nutrient substrates based on greenhouse waste using vermicompost continues," the researcher says. 

The entrepreneur also thought about the disposal of waste from growing oyster mushrooms, which is difficult in the traditional way. Throwing such "garbage" in a landfill is the worst option. Left in the film, waste blocks produce midges, larvae, polyethylene does not decompose naturally. Meanwhile, the spent substrate still contains a rich set of macro-and microelements and after steaming is an excellent protein-vitamin Supplement to feed cattle, poultry, can serve as a fertilizer for vegetable, berry and fruit crops, which is already used in practice on the leased area.

To complete the research, it was decided to use spent mushroom blocks as organic mulch for feeding fruit trees, as well as to recycle the remains in the production of vermicompost. This technology involves one hundred percent utilization of agricultural waste.