Eksplorasi & Seleksi Cendawan Rizosfer Pada Tanaman Kelapa Sawit (Elaeis Guinnensis Jacq) yang Berpotensi Sebagai Entomopatogen

Abstract

Kelapa sawit (Elaeis guineensis Jacq) merupakan komoditas perkebunan strategis di Indonesia yang berperan penting dalam perekonomian nasional. Namun, produktivitas tanaman ini sering terhambat oleh serangan hama seperti ulat api (Setora nitens) dan kumbang tanduk (Oryctes rhinoceros). Selama ini, pengendalian hama lebih banyak bergantung pada pestisida sintetik yang berdampak negatif terhadap lingkungan dan kesehatan. Penelitian ini bertujuan mengeksplorasi potensi cendawan entomopatogen lokal dari tanah rizosfer kelapa sawit sebagai agen hayati pengendali hama. Penelitian dilakukan melalui tahapan isolasi, karakterisasi morfologi, dan uji bioassay terhadap larva Tenebrio molitor. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan enam isolat cendawan, yaitu Aspergillus sp., Beauveria sp., dan Trichoderma sp. Dari uji bioassay, tiga isolat bersifat patogen terhadap larva, dengan isolat Beauveria sp. (CRT 03) menunjukkan mortalitas tertinggi sebesar 85%, LT₅₀ selama 4,26 hari, dan mikosis 55,88%. Hasil ini menunjukkan bahwa Beauveria sp. CRT 03 memiliki potensi tinggi sebagai bioinsektisida lokal. Penelitian ini mendukung pengembangan pengendalian hama berkelanjutan di perkebunan kelapa sawit melalui pemanfaatan agens hayati ramah lingkungan. Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq) is a strategic plantation commodity in Indonesia that plays an important role in the national economy. However, the productivity of these plants is often hampered by pest attacks such as fireworms (Setora nitens) and horn beetles (Oryctes rhinoceros). So far, pest control has relied more on synthetic pesticides that have a negative impact on the environment and health. This study aims to explore the potential of local entomopathogenic fungi from oil palm rhizosphere soils as biological agents for pest control. The research was carried out through the stages of isolation, morphological characterization, and bioassay tests on Tenebrio molitor larvae. The results showed six mushroom isolates, namely Aspergillus sp., Beauveria sp., and Trichoderma sp. From the bioassay test, three isolates were pathogenic to the larvae, with the isolate Beauveria sp. (CRT 03) showed the highest mortality of 85%, LT₅₀ for 4.26 days, and mycosis 55.88%. These results show that Beauveria sp. CRT 03 has high potential as a local bioinsecticide. This research supports the development of sustainable pest control in oil palm plantations through the use of environmentally friendly biological agents.