Quality evaluation of tithonia (Tithonia diversifolia) with fermentation using Lactobacillus plantarum and Aspergillus ficuum at different incubation times

Pazla R, Jamarun N, Zain M, Yanti G, Chandra RH. 2021. Quality evaluation of tithonia (Tithonia diversifolia) with fermentation using Lactobacillus plantarum and Aspergillus ficuum at different incubation times. Biodiversitas 22: 3936-3942. This research aimed to evaluate the nutritional quality of tithonia (Tithonia diversifolia) fermented using Lactobacillus plantarum and Aspergillus ficuum with different incubation times on nutritional content, digestibility, phytase enzyme activity, and characteristics of rumen fluid. The research used an experimental method with a factorial completely randomized design to evaluate the nutritional content and phytase enzyme activity after fermentation (stage 1). A randomized block design was used to evaluate in vitro digestibility and rumen fluid characteristics (stage 2). For factorial completely randomized design, factor A is the type of microbe (L. plantarum and A. ficuum), then factor B is the incubation time (3,5,7 days). Parameters observed were the nutritional content of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), and phytase enzyme activity. For the Randomized Block Design, the research treatments were A = A. ficuum + 5 days of incubation, B = A. ficuum + 7 days of incubation, C = L. plantarum + 3 days of incubation, D = L. plantarum + 5 days of incubation. Parameters measured were the digestibility of dry matter(DMD), organic matter (OMD), crude protein (CPD), crude fiber (CFD), rumen pH, VFA production, and NH3 rumen fluid. The results showed that there was an interaction between the type of microbe and incubation time. The treatment had a significantly different effect (P<0.05) on the content of OM, CP, CF and phytase enzyme activity, but no interaction with the content of DM treatment. In the digestibility, the results showed that the effect was not significantly different (P>0.05) on DMD, OMD, CPD but had a significant effect (P<0.05) on CFD. The treatments also had no significant effect (P>0.05) on VFA but were significantly different (P<0.05) on NH3. From this study, it can be concluded that fermented tithonia using A. ficuum with an incubation period of 7 days could improve the quality of tithonia. It can be seen from the content of CP (31.02%), CF (16.52%), phytase enzyme activity (37.36 U/ml), DMD (66.86%), OMD (67.36%), CFD (81.01%), CPD (70.37%), VFA production 135 mM and NH3 concentration 14.31 mg/100 ml, and pH value 6.72 which is suitable for rumen microbial growth.