CILEMBU SWEET POTATO (Ipomoea batatas) AND GARUT SWEET POTATO (Maranta arundinacea) AS A REPLACEMENT OF POTATO ON POTATO DEXTROSE AGAR TO GROWTH Candida albicans AND Trichophyton mentagrophytes

Abstract

Background : The media commonly used as fungal growth is Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA). PDA is media that contain carbohydrates from potatoes. Ubi Cilembu sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas) and  Garut sweet potato (Maranta arudinacea) are plants with high carbohydrate content so that they can be used as an energy source for the growth of various types of fungi including pathogenic fungi. This study aims to analyze and determine the concentration of sweet potato flour sweet which can be used as a substitute medium for potatoes on PDA media for the growth of C. albicans and T.mentagrophytes optimally.

Method : The method used is an experiment with a completely randomized design. C. albicans and T.mentagrophytes are test fungi obtained from the Microbiology Laboratory of the Bandung Institute of Technology. Variations in concentration of sweet potato flour were made to 0.4%, 0.5%, 0.6% and 0.7% to obtain the most optimum concentration of Cilembu and Garut  sweet potato flour  for the growth of test fungi. Growth of C. albicans and T.mentagrophytes was seen visually in media with different types of sweet potatoes as a substitute for potatoes on PDA media as a control medium.

Result : The results showed that Cilembu and Garut sweet potato can optimally grow C. albicans and T.mentagrophytes. After testing Anova (α = 0.05) there were significant differences in the number and diameter of colonies on alternative media and control media. The medium of Garut sweet potato flour at a concentration of 0.7% grows the best test fungi.

Conclusion : The medium of Garut sweet potato flour at a concentration of 0.7% grows the best test fungi. Research on stability, sensitivity, and specificity needs to be done to determine Cilembu sweet potato and Garut sweet potato media as a valid alternative media for PDA.