Molecular identification of fungi associated with mangrove leaf diseases of Rhizophora mucronata and Rhizophora stylosa collected from Pasar Banggi village, Rembang regency

Mangrove ecosystems play an important role in maintaining the balance of coastal environments. One of the coastal areas with a mangrove ecosystem is Pasar Banggi Village, Rembang Regency, Central Java. This mangrove ecosystem is the result of rehabilitation carried out by the government and local communities since 1996. One of the challenges faced in this area is leaf diseases in mangroves, which have the potential to disrupt the physiological functions and survival of mangrove plants. This study aimed to identify endophytic and pathogenic fungi through isolation, morphological and molecular identification, as well as to analyze the phylogenetic relationships among species. The research used a descriptive-exploratory method. The stages of the study included isolation, rejuvenation of isolates, and macroscopic and microscopic morphological characterization, including colony color, shape, texture, conidia, conidiophores, and vesicles. Molecular identification included DNA extraction, amplification, electrophoresis, sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis. The phylogenetic analysis was conducted by constructing phylogenetic trees and analyzing genetic distances among species. The results showed that isolate RMB.M had 100% similarity with Aspergillus tennesseensis, isolate RMB.M(1) had 100% similarity with Aspergillus aflatoxiformans, isolate RMB.S10-2 had 97.81% similarity with Aspergillus sydowii, and isolate RMB.S10-3 had 100% similarity with Pichia kudriavzevii. These findings provide information on the diversity of endophytic and pathogenic fungi associated with mangrove leaf diseases, which can support the conservation and rehabilitation of mangrove ecosystems in coastal areas.