Jurnal Mangifera Edu

STEM–local wisdom of the Sundanese Community: Efforts to improve students’ verbal creativity

2026-02-20T04:08:16+00:00

This study aims to determine the effect of STEM–Local Wisdom learning of the Sundanese community on the verbal creativity of high school students in the concept of biodiversity. The research employed a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental design involving 71 tenth-grade students at a high school in Sukabumi. The experimental class implemented STEM–Local Wisdom learning, while the control class used the discovery learning model. Data were collected through a verbal creativity test, a student response questionnaire, and product assessments. Test data were analyzed using the T-test and N-Gain, while questionnaire data were analyzed using the Likert scale. The results showed a significant difference between the two classes (sig. 2-tailed = 0.000) and an N-Gain of 0.74 (high category) for the experimental class and 0.59 (medium category) for the control class, indicating that STEM–Local Wisdom learning significantly affects students’ creativity. In addition, the average percentage of student response questionnaires across indicators was 91%, reflecting a high level of student engagement and satisfaction. These findings support the use of STEM–Local Wisdom learning as an effective alternative to foster students’ creativity in biology learning, particularly on the topic of biodiversity contextualized with local wisdom

Antimalarial Potential of Endophytic Fungi from Rhizophora apiculata Roots in Sidodadi Village, Lampung: An In Vitro Study

2026-02-14T06:35:05+00:00

Malaria remains a major global health threat as Plasmodium parasites transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes increasingly develop resistance to frontline drugs. Mangrove plants are rich in terpenoids, alkaloids, and flavonoids with potent antiplasmodial activity, but harvesting large biomass jeopardises fragile coastal ecosystems. Endophytic fungi residing inside plant tissues can synthesise the same metabolites as their hosts, thus offering a sustainable source of new antimalarial leads. This study aimed to isolate and characterise root-derived endophytic fungi from Rhizophora apiculata growing in Sidodadi Village and to evaluate their antimalarial potential. Root segments were surface-sterilised and plated on potato dextrose agar; emerging colonies were sub-cultured until ten pure isolates were obtained. Crude filtrate and mycelial extracts were screened in vitro using the haem-polymerisation inhibition assay. Isolate B.S.CE7 exhibited the highest activity, inhibiting β-haematin formation by 91.4 % and 78.6 % in filtrate and biomass extracts, respectively, with IC₅₀ values of 0.24 mg mL¹ and 0.70 mg mL¹ (chloroquine control 0.14 mg mL¹). Morphological examination placed B.S.CE7 in the genus Aspergillus. Phytochemical tests revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, and terpenoids, compounds commonly implicated in antiplasmodial mechanisms such as haem detoxification blockade. These results demonstrate that mangrove-associated Aspergillus sp. is a promising reservoir of antimalarial metabolites comparable in potency to established drugs. The study highlights the value of exploring endophytes to expand the natural-product pipeline while conserving mangrove biodiversity and provides a foundation for compound isolation.

The efficacy, mode of action, and protective ability of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.) in controlling grain coleopteran pests: a scoping review

2026-02-14T06:37:08+00:00

Post-harvest losses in stored grains, primarily caused by Coleopteran pests, pose a significant threat to global food security. Conventional chemical insecticides are effective but have led to widespread resistance among major pest species, necessitating alternative solutions. Neem (Azadirachta indica), a source of botanical insecticide, has emerged as a promising eco-friendly option to control Coleopteran grain pests. This scoping review synthesizes findings from 66 peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2025, evaluating effectiveness of neem and its mode of action against Coleopteran pests in stored grains, as well as its role as a grain protectant. The review highlights neem's multifaceted modes of action across six major pest families. It includes direct toxicity, repellency, oviposition deterrence, and progeny inhibition. Neem formulations consistently increased pest mortality, inhibited reproduction, and preserved grain quality, with effectiveness influenced by concentration, formulation type, and application method. While neem often performs comparably to or better than other botanicals, its efficacy varies across species and storage conditions. Advanced formulations such as nanoencapsulation and integrated approaches combining neem with environmental factors show enhanced potential. Neem represents a viable component of sustainable pest management strategies, though further optimization and field validation are needed.