Ice Nucleation Active bacteria in Mount Lawu forest, Indonesia: 1. Isolation and estimation of bacterial populations on lichens

Abstract. Fu’adah K, Sari SL, Susilowati A. 2017. Ice Nucleation Active bacteria in Mount Lawu forest, Indonesia: 1. Isolation and estimation of bacterial populations on lichens. Asian J For 1: 83-91. Ice Nucleation Active (INA) bacterias cause frost injury in plants. These bacteria are also predicted to play an important role in bioprecipitation, cloud formation, and rain. Most INA bacteria studies are conducted in subtropical areas. Therefore, studies on INA bacteria from tropical areas, especially Indonesia, need to be conducted. This study aimed to isolate and determine the number of INA bacteria in lichenes. samples of lichenes were taken from the hiking pathway of Cemoro Sewu, Mount Lawu forest, Java, Indonesia, at ±2.200, ±2.400, and ±2.600 m asl. INA bacteria were isolated by the spread plate method on the NA medium with 2.5 % glycerol and King’s B medium. A tube nucleation test determined ice nucleation activity. A multiple-tube nucleation test estimated the number of INA bacteria. The data were analyzed descriptively based on colony morphology, cell morphology, biochemical tests, and analysis of the numbers of INA bacteria. The result showed that 7 isolates from Parmelia sp. at an altitude of 2.532 m asl (station 2) have been known as INA bacterias. The number of INA bacteria in lichenes was 5 x 104/g, which was very low.