Kapang menyebabkan deteriorasi pada manuskrip dluwang lama di Indonesia. Penelitian bertujuan untuk mengetahui kemampuan kapang asal manuskrip dluwang lama dari Cirebon (Keraton Kasepuhan dan Mertasinga) dalam menggunakan kertas merang sebagai substrat. Deskripsi empat strain kapang yang telah diidentifikasi secara molekuler pada penelitian sebelumnya, dikonfirmasi berdasarkan karakterisasi morfologi pada Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) dan Malt Extract Agar (MEA). Biakan kapang dalam PDA miring di suhu 26,5 oC, umur 7 hari digunakan untuk pembuatan suspensi sel dalam akuades steril 5 ml. Tiga ml suspensi sel diinokulasikan ke dalam 27 ml Czapek Dox Broth (CDB) tanpa sumber karbon dengan penambahan kertas merang (diameter 5,2 cm) sebagai substrat, dan pada 27 ml CDB tanpa kertas merang sebagai kontrol, inkubasi di suhu ruang (28 oC), selama 30 hari. Hasil karakterisasi morfologi mengkonfirmasi empat strain kapang adalah Penicillium rubens Biourge UICC 1062, Aspergillus jensenii Jurjević, S.W. Peterson & B.W. Horn UICC 1069, Cladosporium colocasiae Sawada UICC 1071, dan Eurotium rubrum Jos. König, E. Spieckermann & W. Bremer UICC 1006. Semua kapang menggunakan kertas merang sebagai substrat untuk sumber karbon dan nutrien berdasarkan adanya pertumbuhan (hifa dan sporulasi), perubahan kondisi kertas (kertas menjadi robek, rapuh, adanya titik sporulasi berwarna kehijauan dan cokelat kehitaman), dan persentase pengurangan berat kering kertas (3,44--15,92%).

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Moulds causes deterioration on old dluwang manuscripts in Indonesia. This study aims to determine the ability of moulds from the old dluwang manuscripts from Cirebon (Keraton Kasepuhan and Mertasinga) in using rice straw paper as a substrate. Four mould strains which were identified by molecular method in previous study, were described to confirm their species identities based on morphology characterisation on Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) and Malt Extract Agar (MEA). Seven days-old mould cultures in PDA slants, at 26.5 oC, were used for cell suspensions in 5 ml sterile water. Three ml cell suspensions were inoculated into 27 ml Czapek Dox Broth (CDB) without a carbon source with the addition of rice straw paper (5.2 cm in diameter) as a substrate, and into 27 ml CDB without a carbon source and rice straw paper as a control, incubated at room temperature (28 oC), for 30 days. The results showed that description of four mould strains was confirmed as Penicillium rubens Biourge UICC 1062, Aspergillus jensenii Jurjević, S.W. Peterson & B.W. Horn UICC 1069, Cladosporium colocasiae Sawada UICC 1071, and Eurotium rubrum Jos. König, E. Spieckermann & W. Bremer UICC 1006. All mould strains were able to use rice straw paper as a substrate to obtain carbon source and nutrient for growth based on the presence of hyphae and sporulation, changes in paper conditions (tear, fragile, sporulation spots in light green and brownish-black) and percentage of paper dry weight loss (3.44--15.92%).