Abstract:
Mangrove plants have a great potential in the production of bioactive compounds that
can be used for medicinal purposes. However, it is not certain whether the bioactive
compounds are produced by mangrove plant itself or by associated microbes. In order
to determine this, fungi associated with Nypa fruticans were isolated. The sampling of
fragments of leaves, fronds and barks of N fruticans was conducted in Zone 1,
Mangrove Forests of UMT, Terengganu. In this study, two techniques were used:
Direct Plating Technique and Damp Incubation Technique. In both techniques the
fragments were incubated on Sea Water Agar (SWA) and Potato Dextrose Agar
(PDA). More fungi were detected on PDA, indicating that PDA stimulates the growth
of fungi. The fungi isolated were subcultured in slide culture technique to identify the
fungi. Identification of fungi was based on their morphology and by observation
under microscope. A total of 40 individual species of fungi were isolated from both
techniques which are 29 from Direct Plating Technique and 11 from Damp Incubation
Technique. The fungi isolated include 10 Ascomycetes, 18 Deuteromycetes, one
Basidiomycete and 11 unidentified isolates. Out of 29 identified fungi, 28 species
belong to terrestrial fungi and one belongs to marine fungi. These fungal isolates can
be used further in the investigation of possible bioactive compound(s) produced by
these fungi.