Analysis of Total Carbohydrate and Chlorophyll Content of The Orchid Plantlet [Phalaenopsis amabilis (L.) Bl.] Resistant Fusarium Wilt Disease

Abstract

The moon orchid [Phalaenopsis amabilis (L.) Bl.] is a popular orchid in the community, native orchid from Indonesia, and included in the list of endangered species. The pathogenic fungus that often attacks orchid leaves is Fusarium oxysporum, which causes fusarium wilt. Control of diseases that do not cause negative impacts can be done using superior cultivars resistant to F. oxysporum infection, through in vitro selection in the medium with the addition of fusaric acid. Fusaric acid is a metabolite produced by several fungal species of the genus fusarium and at non-toxic concentrations it helps to induce phytoalexin synthesis, increase chlorophyll and carbohydrate content when pathogen infasion. The purpose of this study was to find out the total chlorophyll content, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total dissolved carbohydrate content. This study used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with one factor, namely the concentration of fusaric acid divided into 5 levels, namely 0 ppm, 10 ppm, 20 ppm, 30 ppm, and 40 ppm with 5 replications each. The results showed an increase in the total chlorophyll content, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and total dissolved carbohydrate content.