Significant Development in Medicinal Mushroom Production

Significant Progress in Medicinal Mushroom Production Within the framework of the Regional Development-Focused Mission Differentiation and Specialization Programme in the fields of Environment and Health, Düzce University, which was declared a Regional Development-Focused University, conducted its first medicinal mushroom harvest of the year within the Agricultural Waste Industrial Recovery Research and Application Center (DÜTAGAM). Düzce University, which conducts exemplary work for the region's population in medicinal mushroom cultivation at the intersection of both environmental and health sectors and supports voluntary producers, held a medicinal mushroom harvest event attended by Düzce University Rector Prof. Dr. Nigar Demircan Çakar. "Everything from Growing to Packaging is Done at the University" Shiitake medicinal mushrooms, whose compost production, climate control, maintenance and cultivation are carried out entirely within Düzce University's Agricultural Waste Industrial Recovery Research and Application Center (DÜTAGAM), were harvested by participants and delivered to the Production Center operating within Düzce University's Scientific and Technological Research Application and Research Center (DÜBİT) to be converted into final products. DÜTAGAM Director Prof. Dr. Süleyman Korkut, providing information on the subject, stated that they first established a mushroom compost preparation laboratory within DÜTAGAM and prepared the necessary environment for mushroom growth, then a mushroom production laboratory was established and in October they began production of Shiitake mushroom, one of the medicinal mushrooms, in their newly established laboratory. Emphasizing that DÜTAGAM is one of a limited number of research centers and laboratories performing medicinal mushroom production in Turkey and the region, Korkut noted that the mushroom production laboratory is able to conduct medicinal and edible mushroom production on various waste materials including hazelnut husk waste, which primarily emerges in the Düzce region, as well as beech and oak sawdust waste. "Our Goal is to Produce High-Value Products and Educate the Region's Population" DÜTAGAM Deputy Director Assoc. Prof. Dr. Çağlar Akçay stated that the Center's primary objective is to obtain high-value products such as medicinal mushrooms from agricultural waste generated in the region and to transfer the cultivation techniques of these products to the region's population. Expressing that in the coming months they plan to organize courses on medicinal mushroom compost preparation and production techniques from agricultural waste to reach more producers and promote wider adoption, Akçay emphasized that in this way they plan to reduce our country's dependence on imports in medicinal mushroom needs and prevent imports. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Çağlar Akçay explained that TÜBİTAK projects, Scientific Research Projects and other R&D projects as well as other public benefit projects are also being carried out in the mushroom production laboratory, noting that the Center aims not only at Shiitake mushroom production but also at producing oyster mushroom from edible mushrooms and Reishi mushroom from other medicinal mushrooms, thereby contributing to the development of the regional economy. Inviting those from the region's population interested in medicinal mushroom cultivation to visit DÜTAGAM, Akçay stated that they aim to promote medicinal mushroom cultivation in the city and region with more voluntary producers.