Isolation and Macroscopic Characterization of Molase and Alginate Bacteria from Mangrove Sediments in Shrimp Ponds

Abstract

Bacteria are microscopic organisms capable of thriving in various environments that support their growth, including mangrove sediment. Bacterial characteristics in mangrove sediment were examined using two different media: molasses and alginate. This process included preparing solid media, diluting sediment samples, isolating bacteria, and characterizing isolates. On molasses media (both Molasses Media I and Molasses Media II), bacteria generally displayed entire, undulate, and lobate margins, with diverse shapes (round, irregular, punctiform, rhizoid), colors (opaque, clear), and elevations (convex, flat, umbonate). On alginate media (Alginat Media I and Alginat Media II), after repetition, bacteria typically had entire and lobate margins, varied shapes (round, irregular, punctiform, rhizoid), colors (opaque, clear), and elevations (convex, flat, umbonate). Bacterial isolation utilized the spread plate technique on solid agar media, revealing higher colony growth on molasses media due to richer nutrients compared to alginate. Colony counts were determined via serial dilution, and bacteria displayed diverse macroscopic traits, evaluated using a comparison table considering colony margin, color, elevation, texture, and shape.