Impacts of Citric Acid and Malic Acid on Fermentation Quality and Bacterial Community of Cassava Foliage Silage

The Potential of Co-Fermentation of Whole-Plant Cassava with Piper sarmentosum: A Comprehensive Study of Fermentation Quality, Antioxidant Activity, Bacterial Community Structure, and Microbial Ecological Networks in Novel Foods

The objective of this study was to explore the preservation of food products through the co-fermentation of whole-plant cassava and Piper sarmentosum (PS) without additives. We assessed fermentation quality, antioxidant activity, bacterial community structure, function profile, and microbial ecological network features. Our results demonstrate that co-fermentation of whole-plant cassava with 10% PS significantly improves food quality. The co-fermented samples exhibited enhanced lactic acid concentrations and increased antioxidant activity, with reduced pH values and concentrations of acetic acid, butyric acid, and ammonia-N(NH3-N) compared to whole-plant cassava fermented alone. In addition, PS addition also optimized microbial community structure by elevating the total abundance of lactic acid bacteria and influenced bacterial predicted functions. Furthermore, our analysis of co-occurrence networks reveals that co-fermentation impacts microbial network features, including module numbers and bacterial relative abundances, leading to altered complexity and stability of the networks. Moreover, out study also highlights the impact of ferment undesirable bacteria like Pseudomonas aeruginosa and unclassified_Muribaculaceae playing crucial roles in microbial network complexity and stability. These findings provide valuable insights into the anaerobic fermentation process and offers strategies for regulating food fermentation quality.

Metagenomic insights into protein degradation mechanisms in natural fermentation of cassava leaves

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) leaves, the primary by-product of cassava processing, constitute a significant protein source, accounting for 18 to 38 percent on a dry weight basis. Despite their nutritional value, a substantial portion of these leaves is often discarded post-harvest, resulting in notable resource waste. This study employs metagenomic technology to investigate the protein degradation mechanism in cassava leaves, aiming to provide a technical reference for value-added of this by-product. Following a 36-hour period of natural fermentation, the protein degradation rate reached 58%, a phenomenon intricately linked to both the microbial community structure and its functional properties. Notably, Lactococcus and Enterobacter, recognized for their abundant protease activity, were predominant. Metagenomically assembled genomes further revealed Lactococcus's substantial role in producing flavors and active compounds, including amino acids and peptides. This study offers novel perspectives to the foodization and high-value utilization of cassava by-products, emphasizing the sustainable exploitation of biomass resources.

Study on Dynamic Fermentation of Oat Silage Assisted by Exogenous Fibrolytic Enzymes

Based on the low content of water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) attachment in oat raw materials, we assumed that the neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content of oat can be reduced by adding cellulase or xylanase. The concentration of metabolizable sugars will be increased, which will assist the oat's bacterial community in fermentation and obtain a better quality of oat silage. After wilting the oat, it was treated as follows: (1) distributed water (CK); (2) silages inoculated with xylanase (X); and (3) silages inoculated with cellulase (C), ensiling for 3, 7, 14, 30, and 60 days. Cellulase and xylanase treatments both alter the fermentation and nutritional quality of ensiled oat, resulting in lower NDF, acid detergent fiber (ADF), cellulose, and hemicellulose contents, increased lactic acid and acetic acid contents, and a significant decrease in ensiling environment pH. The bacterial community undergoes significant changes with cellulase and xylanase treatments, with a significant increase in Lactobacillus abundance in the C_14, X_30, C_30, X_60, and C_60 treatment groups, while Weissella abundance gradually decreases with longer ensiling times. Two exogenous fibrolytic enzymes also alter the bacterial diversity of ensiled oat, with different bacterial species and abundances observed in different treatment groups. Ensiled oat treated with cellulase and xylanase experiences significant changes in its own bacterial community, particularly in the abundance of Lactobacillus. These changes result in improved fermentation and nutritional quality of oat, but the higher metabolism levels observed after 60 days of ensiling with cellulase treatment may lead to energy loss.

Cassava Foliage Effects on Antioxidant Capacity, Growth, Immunity, and Ruminal Microbial Metabolism in Hainan Black Goats

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) foliage is a byproduct of cassava production characterized by high biomass and nutrient content. In this study, we investigated the effects of cassava foliage on antioxidant capacity, growth performance, and immunity status in goats, as well as rumen fermentation and microbial metabolism. Twenty-five Hainan black goats were randomly divided into five groups (n = 5 per group) and accepted five treatments: 0% (T1), 25% (T2), 50% (T3), 75% (T4), and 100% (T5) of the cassava foliage silage replaced king grass, respectively. The feeding experiment lasted for 70 d (including 10 d adaptation period and 60 d treatment period). Feeding a diet containing 50% cassava foliage resulted in beneficial effects for goat growth and health, as reflected by the higher average daily feed intake (ADFI), average daily gain (ADG) and better feed conversion rate (FCR), as well as by the reduced serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), creatinine (CRE), and triglycerides (TG). Meanwhile, cassava foliage improved antioxidant activity by increasing the level of glutathion peroxidase (GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and lowering malondialdehyde (MDA). Moreover, feeding cassava foliage was also beneficial to immunity status by enhancing complement 3 (C3), complement 4 (C4), immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin G (IgG), and immunoglobulin M (IgM). Furthermore, the addition of dietary cassava foliage also altered rumen fermentation, rumen bacterial community composition, and metabolism. The abundance of Butyrivibrio_2 and Prevotella_1 was elevated, as were the concentrations of beneficial metabolites such as butyric acid; there was a concomitant decline in metabolites that hindered nutrient metabolism and harmed host health. In summary, goats fed a diet containing 50% cassava foliage silage demonstrated a greater abundance of Butyrivibrio_2, which enhanced the production of butyric acid; these changes led to greater antioxidant capacity, growth performance, and immunity in the goats.

Effects of Bacillus coagulans and Lactobacillus plantarum on the Fermentation Characteristics, Microbial Community, and Functional Shifts during Alfalfa Silage Fermentation

This study aimed to investigate the potential of Bacillus coagulans (BC) as an inoculant in alfalfa silage fermentation. Fresh alfalfa was harvested at a dry matter (DM) content of 329.60 g/kg fresh weight (FW), and inoculated without (CON) or with BC (1 × 10⁶ CFU/g FW), Lactobacillus plantarum (LP, 1 × 10⁶ CFU/g FW), and their combinations (LP+BC, 1 × 10⁶ CFU/g FW, respectively). Samples were taken at 3, 7, 14, 30, and 60 d, with three replicates for each. The prolonged ensiling period resulted in a decrease in pH values and an increase in lactic acid (LA) concentrations in alfalfa silages. After 60 d of fermentation, the application of BC and LP decreased the pH values and increased LA concentrations in treated silages, especially when their combination was applied. Application of BC preserved more water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), and further application of BC increased WSC in LP+BC-treated silage compared to LP-treated silage. There was no significant difference in the crude protein (CP) content between the CON and treated silages, however, the BC and LP treatments reduced the ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N) concentration, especially when their combination was applied. Additionally, the BC and LP-treated silages had lower neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) when compared to the CON silage (p < 0.001). Inoculants also increased Lactobacillus abundance and decreased Enterococcus abundance after 60 d of fermentation. Spearman's rank correlation analysis revealed a positive correlation between LA concentration and Lactobacillus abundance. It was noteworthy that LP, BC, and their combination increased the relative abundances of carbohydrate metabolism, energy metabolism, cofactors, and vitamin metabolism, decreasing the relative abundances of amino acid metabolism and drug resistance: antimicrobial. Therefore, the inclusion of BC increased the fermentation quality of alfalfa silage, with the optimal combination being LP+BC. According to the findings, BC could be considered a viable bioresource for improving fermentation quality.

Potential for volatile fatty acid production via anaerobically-fermenting rice straw pretreated with silage effluent and phenyllactic acid

To resolve environmental problems associated with rice straw and silage effluent disposal, silage effluent pretreating rice straw for the anaerobic production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) was investigated. To prevent the lactic acid bacteria in silage effluent from inhibiting anaerobic fermentation, four phenyllactic acid (PLA) levels were set (0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5 mg/kg). The total VFA yields of treatments pretreated only with silage effluent (CK) were higher than the groups combined with PLA during 15 days fermentation. Compared to PLA treatments, the total VFA of CK increased by 11.4 % ∼ 25.1 % on day 15. The CK showed higher lactic and propionic acid contents and lower pH values (<4.9). The PLA treatments decreased Lactobacillus abundance while increasing bacterial richness and evenness, and acetic and butyric acid contents. These demonstrated silage effluent has the potential to be used as a biological pretreatment for VFA production in anaerobic fermentation.

Effects of growth stage on the fermentation quality, microbial community, and metabolomic properties of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.) silage

Introduction

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different growth stages (booting period-SYK; initial flowering-SCK; full flowering-SSK) on the fermentation quality, microbial community, metabolic pathways and metabolomic characteristics of Italian ryegrass silage.

Methods

Single molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing and ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) were used to analyze bacterial communities and metabolites, respectively.

Results

After 60 d of fermentation, SYK had the lowest pH and the highest lactic acid content, which were significantly different from the other groups. The bacteria with the highest abundance in SYK, SCK and SSK groups were Lactiplantibacillus plantarum (63.98%), Weissella minor (28.82%) and Levilactobacillus brevis (64.81%), respectively. In addition, among the main differential metabolites in different growth stages, the number of amino acids was the most, and the corresponding metabolic pathways were mainly amino acid metabolic pathways. The biosynthesis of phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan was significantly enriched (p<0.01) at booting stage and full flowering stage. Purine metabolism and ABC transporter pathway were significantly enriched at the initial flowering (p<0.001). Lactiplantibacillus plantarum had a negative correlation with xanthine and ganoderic acid F. Weissella minor had a positive correlation with D-Mannose and ganoderic acid F. Levilactobacillus brevis had a positive correlation with xanthine, and Latilactobacillus sakei had a positive correlation with cinnamic acid, D-Mannose, 2-Hydroxycinnamic acid and uridine.

Discussion

In conclusion, this study reveals the interaction mechanisms between ryegrass raw materials at different growth stages and epiphytic microorganisms during ensiling fermentation, providing new ideas for screening functional lactic acid bacteria, and laying a theoretical foundation for the production of safe and high-quality silage.

New Insight on Phenolic Composition and Evaluation of the Vitamin C and Nutritional Value of Smoothies Sold on the Spanish Market

Fruits and vegetables are a source of a wide range of nutrients, including bioactive compounds. These compounds have great biological activity and have been linked to the prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases. Currently, the food industry is developing new products to introduce these compounds, whereby smoothies are becoming more popular among consumers. The aim of this study was to evaluate the nutritional quality and the polyphenol and vitamin C content of smoothies available on the Spanish market. An evaluation of the nutritional information and ingredients was carried out. The phenolic compounds were determined by HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS; the vitamin C content was quantified using HPLC-UV/VIS; and the antioxidant activity was analyzed by DPPH and FRAP. Among all of the ingredients of the smoothies, coconut and banana have shown a negative impact on the polyphenol content of the smoothies. In contrast, ingredients such as orange, mango, and passion fruit had a positive correlation with the vitamin C content. Moreover, apple and red fruits showed the highest positive correlations with most of the phenolic acids, flavonoids, total phenolic compounds, and antioxidant activities. In addition, a clustering analysis was performed, and four groups were clearly defined according to the bioactive composition determined here. This research is a precious step for the formulation of new smoothies and to increase their polyphenol quality.

Effects of Different Additives on Fermentation Quality, Microbial Communities, and Rumen Degradation of Alfalfa Silage

This study examined the effects of different additives on the fermentation quality, nutrient composition, microbial communities, and rumen degradation of ensiled alfalfa. Six treatments were employed in which additives were applied to alfalfa on a fresh weight basis: CK (no additive), FA (0.6% formic acid), CaO (3% calcium oxide and 3% urea), LB (1 × 106 cfu/g Lentilactobacillus buchneri), GLB (2% glucose and 1 × 106 cfu/g L. buchneri), and FLB (2% fucoidan and 1 × 106 cfu/g L. buchneri). After 60 days of ensiling, all treatments altered the bacterial communities, improved the fermentation quality, reduced dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) losses, and enhanced the rumen degradation of nutrients. The addition of LB increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus spp. (p < 0.05), whereas GLB reduced (p < 0.05) the NH3-N:TN ratio and elevated (p < 0.05) the concentrations of Lactobacillus and lactic acid content. The FA treatment reduced (p < 0.05) the pH, as well as the DM and CP degradations, while the CaO treatment increased the degradations of DM, acid detergent fiber, and neutral detergent fiber. We concluded that FA, LB, GLB, and FLB had beneficial effects on alfalfa fermentation, and that CaO increased alfalfa silage rumen degradation.

Impact of Weissella cibaria BYL4.2 and its supernatants on Penicillium chrysogenum metabolism

Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) can produce a vast spectrum of antifungal metabolites to inhibit fungal growth. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the antifungal effect of isolated Weissella cibaria BYL4.2 on Penicillium chrysogenum, the antifungal activity of W. cibaria BYL4.2 against P. chrysogenum was evaluated by the superposition method, results showed that it had obviously antifungal activity against P. chrysogenum. Studying the probiotic properties of BYL4.2 and determining it as beneficial bacteria. Furtherly, different treatments were carried out to characterize the antifungal activity of cell-free supernatant (CFS) produced by W. cibaria BYL4.2, and it was shown that the CFS was pH-dependent, partly heat-sensitive, and was not influenced by proteinaceous treatment. The CFS of W. cibaria BYL4.2 was analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and found the highest content of lactic acid. Screening of metabolic markers by a non-targeted metabolomics approach based liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). The results speculated that organic acid especially detected D-tartaric acid was the main antifungal substance of CFS, which could cause the down-regulation of metabolites in the ABC transporters pathway, thereby inhibiting the growth of P. chrysogenum. Therefore, this study may provide important information for the inhibitory mechanism of W. cibaria BYL4.2 on P. chrysogenum, and provide a basis for further research on the antifungal effect of Weissella.

Addition of Organic Acids and Lactobacillus acidophilus to the Leguminous Forage Chamaecrista rotundifolia Improved the Quality and Decreased Harmful Bacteria of the Silage

This study aimed to investigate the effects of citric acid, malic acid, and Lactobacillus acidophilus (L) on fermentation parameters and the microbial community of leguminous Chamaecrista rotundifolia silage. Fresh C. rotundifolia was treated without any additive (CK), or with L (106 CFU/g fresh weight), different levels (0.1, 0.3, 0.5, and 1% fresh weight) of organic acid (malic or citric acid), and the combinations of L and the different levels of organic acids for 30, 45, and 60 days of ensiling. The effects of malic acid and citric acid were similar during the ensiling process. Treatment with either citric or malic acid and also when combined with L inhibited crude protein degradation, lowered pH and ammonia nitrogen, and increased lactic acid concentration and dry matter content (p < 0.05). The neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber increased initially and then decreased with fermentation time in all treatments (p < 0.05). Increasing the level of organic acid positively affected the chemical composition of C. rotundifolia silage. In addition, the addition of 1% organic acid increased the relative abundance of Lactobacillus, while the relative abundances of Clostridium and Enterobacter decreased at 60 days (p < 0.05). Moreover, both organic acids and combined additives increased (p < 0.05) the relative abundance of Cyanobacteria at 60 days of fermentation. We concluded that adding malic acid, citric acid, and L combined with an organic acid could improve the quality of C. rotundifolia silage and increase the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria. The addition of organic acid at a level of 1% was the most effective.

The effects of lactic acid bacteria and molasses on microbial community and fermentation performance of mixed silage of king grass and cassava foliage

In the present study, we aim to investigate the effects of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and molasses (M) on the microbial community and fermentation performance of mixed silage of king grass (KG) and cassava foliage (CF). A completely randomized design was used for the experiment. Mixed material was ensiled with no additive added (CK) for 60 days. Alternatively, mixed silage was supplemented with M, LAB (L), or M + LAB (ML) and then subjected to fermentation. Compared with the CK group, the contents of lactic acid and propionic acid in the L group were enhanced, whereas the content of acetic acid was reduced. Moreover, the levels of pH, butyric acid, and ammonia-N were not significantly changed. In contrast, the lower contents of pH, acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid, as well as ammonia-N in the M and ML groups were observed, whereas the content of lactic acid was elevated. Additives could change the silage quality of mixed silage to different extents. The effect of the L treatment was not ideal, and the ML group had a better fermentation quality compared with the M group. In terms of microbial community, the relative abundance of desirable Lactobacillus was increased in the M, L, and ML groups. The relative abundance of Pseudomonas was decreased in the M and L groups. Compared with the CK group, the relative abundance of Stenotrophomonas was decreased, especially in the M (0.18%) and ML (0.19%) groups. For Paenibacillus, its relative abundance was increased in the ML group and more significantly increased in the M group. In summary, the combination of LAB and M at an equal ratio had a more positive effect on the fermentation quality and microbial community of mixed silage than LAB and M alone.

Effects of Lactobacillus plantarum on Silage Fermentation and Bacterial Community of Three Tropical Forages

The fermentation quality and microbial diversity of king grass (K), cassava foliage (C), and Broussonetia papyrifera (B) ensiled in the absence of an inoculant (K, C, B) or the presence of Lactobacillus plantarum (KL, CL, BL) for 60 days were investigated. The bacterial community was characterized by using the 16S rDNA sequencing technology. The relative abundance of Lactobacillus in K was very high, and it decreased after adding L. plantarum while Acinetobacter increased to some extent. The relative abundance of Lactobacillus in group C was also very high, and the inoculant L. plantarum enriched it in the CL group. As the second dominant genus of group C, the relative abundance of Pseudomonas decreased significantly in CL. Weissella and Enterobacter were the dominant genera in B and BL, and the relative abundance of Lactobacillus decreased in BL. For K, C, and B, the inoculant L. plantarum decreased the pH value and NH3-N content markedly, inhibited the production of butyric acid, increased the content of lactic acid, and significantly improved the fermentation quality. In conclusion, L. plantarum affected the bacterial community of C and improved the silage quality of K, C, and B to a certain extent.

Top-Down Enrichment Strategy to Co-cultivate Lactic Acid and Lignocellulolytic Bacteria From the Megathyrsus maximus Phyllosphere

Traditionally, starting inoculants have been applied to improve ensiling of forage used for livestock feed. Here, we aimed to build up a bioinoculant composed of lactic acid-producing and lignocellulolytic bacteria (LB) derived from the Megathyrsus maximus (guinea grass) phyllosphere. For this, the dilution-to-stimulation approach was used, including a sequential modification of the starting culture medium [Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe (MRS) broth] by addition of plant biomass (PB) and elimination of labile carbon sources. Along 10 growth-dilution steps (T1–T10), slight differences were observed in terms of bacterial diversity and composition. After the sixth subculture, the consortium started to degrade PB, decreasing its growth rate. The co-existence of Enterobacteriales (fast growers and highly abundance), Actinomycetales, Bacillales, and Lactobacillales species was observed at the end of the selection process. However, a significant structural change was noticed when the mixed consortium was cultivated in higher volume (500ml) for 8days, mainly increasing the proportion of Paenibacillaceae populations. Interestingly, Actinomycetales, Bacillales, and Lactobacillales respond positively to a pH decrease (4–5), suggesting a relevant role within a further silage process. Moreover, gene-centric metagenomic analysis showed an increase of (hemi)cellulose-degrading enzymes (HDEs) during the enrichment strategy. Reconstruction of metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) revealed that Paenibacillus, Cellulosimicrobium, and Sphingomonas appear as key (hemi)cellulolytic members (harboring endo-glucanases/xylanases, arabinofuranosidases, and esterases), whereas Enterococcus and Cellulosimicrobium have the potential to degrade oligosaccharides, metabolize xylose and might produce lactic acid through the phosphoketolase (PK) pathway. Based on this evidence, we conclude that our innovative top-down strategy enriched a unique bacterial consortium that could be useful in biotechnological applications, including the development/design of a synthetic bioinoculant to improve silage processes.

Additives Altered Bacterial Communities and Metabolic Profiles in Silage Hybrid Pennisetum

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different additives on the fermentation quality, nutrient composition, bacterial communities, and metabolic profiles of the silage of hybrid Pennisetum. The experiment was conducted using five treatments, i.e., CK, control group, MA, 1% malic acid of fresh matter (FM) basis, GL, 1% glucose of FM basis, CE, 100 U/g FM cellulase, and BS, 106 cfu/g FM Bacillus subtilis, with six replicates each treatment. After a 120-day fermentation, 30 silage packages were opened for subsequent determination. As a result, all four additives had positive effects on the fermentation quality and nutrient composition of the silage of hybrid Pennisetum. The high-throughput sequencing of V3-V4 regions in 16S rRNA was performed, and results showed that Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were the dominant phyla and that Aquabacterium and Bacillus were the dominant genera. MA, GL, CE, and BS treatment resulted in 129, 21, 25, and 40 differential bacteria, respectively. The four additives upregulated Bacillus smithii but downregulated Lactobacillus rossiae. Metabolic profiles were determined by UHPLC-Q/TOF-MS technology and the differential metabolites caused by the four additives were 47, 13, 47, and 18, respectively. These metabolites played antioxidant, antibacterial, and anti-inflammatory functions and involved in pathways, such as the citrate cycle, carbon fixation in photosynthetic organisms, and glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism. In conclusion, silage additives promoted fermentation quality and nutrient composition by altering bacterial communities and metabolic profiles. This study provided potential biomarkers for the improvement of silage quality.

Effect of lactic acid bacteria, molasses, and their combination on the fermentation quality and bacterial community of cassava foliage silage

This study investigated the effects of LAB inoculants (L) and molasses (M) on the microbial community and fermentation quality of cassava foliage (CF). The small segments (about 2-3 cm) CF were ensiled in plastic bags and incubated at normal temperature (25°C). Four treatments were carried out as follows: control (no additives, CK), LAB inoculants (Lactobacillus plantarum, L), molasses (M), and LAB in combination with molasses (LM). The LAB and molasses obviously altered the bacterial community structure of the CF silage and enhanced the fermentation quality. The combination addition could increase the abundance of Lactobacillus and reduce the Pseudomonas. The LAB and molasses also significantly elevated the lactic acid concentration (P < 0.001) and decreased the pH (P < 0.001), as well as the concentrations of acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, and ammonia-N (P < 0.05). In addition, the combination treatment displayed more effective results on silage fermentation. The LAB and molasses improved the fermentation quality of the CF silage by altering the bacterial community structure. Furthermore, the bacterial community was significantly correlated with fermentation indexes.

Effects of Delayed Harvest and Additives on Fermentation Quality and Bacterial Community of Corn Stalk Silage

This study aimed to investigate the effects of delayed harvest and additives on the fermentation quality and bacterial community of corn stalk silage in South China. The corn stalks after ear harvest at the 0 day (D0), 7 days (D7), and 15 days (D15) were used to produce small-bale silages. The silages at each harvest time were treated without (control, CK) or with Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) and sodium benzoate (BF). The results showed that delayed harvest increased pH and acetic acid content and reduced lactic acid content in corn stalk silage (p < 0.05). Compared with CK, the additives decreased the contents of butyric acid and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N; p < 0.05). The silage treated with LP increased the content of lactic acid and decreased pH (p < 0.05); the silage treated with BF decreased counts of coliform bacteria and yeasts and increased residual water soluble carbohydrates (WSC) content (p < 0.05). Single Molecule, Real-Time sequencing (SMRT) revealed that the abundance of L. plantarum increased, while the abundance of Lactobacillus brevis and Lactobacillus ginsenosidimutans decreased with the delayed harvest. Additives influenced the bacterial community structure of corn stalk silage, revealed by enhanced bacterial diversity on D0 and reduced on D7 (p < 0.05). Our research indicated that delayed harvest could exert a positive effect on acetic acid production, and additives could inhibit the butyric acid fermentation and protein degradation of corn stalk silage by shifting bacterial community composition.

Effects of Citric Acid and Lactobacillus plantarum on Silage Quality and Bacterial Diversity of King Grass Silage

To better understand the mechanism underlying the citric acid (CA)-regulated silage fermentation, we investigated the bacterial community and fermentation quality of king grass (KG) ensiled without (CK) or with Lactobacillus plantarum (L), CA and the combination of L and CA (CAL). The bacterial community was characterized by using the 16Sr DNA sequencing technology. The L and CA treatments altered the silage bacterial community of KG, showing reduced bacterial diversity, while the abundance of desirable genus Lactobacillus was increased, and the abundances of undesirable genus Dysgonomonas and Pseudomonas were decreased. The additives also significantly raised the lactic acid content, dropped the pH, and reduced the contents of acetic acid, propionic acid, and ammonia-N in ensiled KG (P < 0.01). Besides, the combination treatment was more effective on silage fermentation with the highest pH and lactic acid content, while the contents of acetic acid, propionic acid, and ammonia-N were the lowest (P < 0.01). Moreover, CAL treatment exerted a notable influence on the bacterial community, with the lowest operational taxonomic unit (OTU) number and highest abundance of Lactobacillus. Furthermore, the bacterial community was significantly correlated with fermentation characteristics. These results proved that L and CA enhanced the KG silage quality, and the combination had a beneficial synergistic effect.