Nypa Palm Frond Degradation Utilizing Cellulolytic Lactic Acid Bacteria Isolated from Nypa Palm Worm (Namalycastis rhodochorde)

Cellulolytic lactic acid bacteria isolated from the gastrointestinal tract of nypa palm worms, namely NrLtC2, NrLtC4, and NrLtG2, exhibited cellulase enzyme activity in vitro. Cellulose degradation ability testing began on nipa palm frond fibers with variations in LAB type treatment and starter bacteria concentration (2%, 3.5%, and 5%) for 30 days. The results showed that the NrLtG2 bacterial isolate exhibited superior degradation ability compared to the other two isolates, resulting in a decrease in cellulose content of 20.14-26.39%. In contrast, the NrLtC2 and NrLtC4 isolates demonstrated lower degradation ability, with a range of 12.50-15.63%.