Avicennia marina leaf litter decomposition rate and its impact on milkfish growth in Sicanang Belawan Medan

¹ Forestry Study Program, Faculty of Forestry, University of North Sumatra Campus II Kuala Bekala Deli Serdang, 20353, North Sumatra, Indonesia.
² Mangrove Center of Excellence, University of North Sumatra, Medan 20155, North Sumatra, Indonesia

^* Corresponding author: yunasfi@usu.ac.id

Abstract

Leaf litter is the main component containing carbohydrates, proteins and nutrients. Litter must be decomposed first, so that it can be utilized by organisms and microorganisms in coastal environments. Fungi play an important role in the litter decomposition process. This study was conducted from August to November 2024 to determine the role of fungi, in decomposing leaf litter and increasing the growth of milkfish (Chanos chanos) seeds. 50 g of A. marina leaf litter was put into 20 litter bags measuring 40 x 30 cm, made of nylon with a mesh of 1 x 1 mm. Aspergillus sp. 1 fungi were cultured on PDA media. Pieces of 5 x 5 x 2 mm agar that had been grown with fungi were then made into a suspension in a test tube filled with 2.5 ml of sterile water. Milkfish seeds placed in cages, namely 80 seeds. Sampling was conducted every 15 days, taking eight milkfish and one bag containing litter. The decomposition rate and weight of the milkfish were then measured six times. The decomposition rate of A. marina leaf litter was 18.72/year, and the weight of the milkfish fed with Aspergillus sp. 1 liter was 39.48 grams, which was greater than the control, which was 19.9 grams