Microbiota succession during aerobic stability of maize silage inoculated with Lentilactobacillus buchneri NCIMB 40788 and Lentilactobacillus hilgardii CNCM‐I‐4785

Abstract

Aerobic deterioration of silage following feeding out is responsible for the deterioration of its quality. Inoculation of silage with lactic acid bacteria is one strategy to limit these effects. A trial was performed using whole‐plant corn ensiled in bag silo, and forage was inoculated with Lentilactobacillus buchneri NCIMB 40788 (Lactobacillus buchneri) and Lentilactobacillus hilgardii CNCM‐I‐4785 (Lactobacillus hilgardii) or not (Control silage). After 159 days of fermentation, the silos were opened and the silage was sampled at 24‐h intervals during a 10‐day aerobic stability assay to measure pH, the fermentation profile, mycotoxins, and microbial and fungal populations. In inoculated silage, lactic acid concentrations and pH remained stable during the aerobic phase and higher microorganism alpha‐diversity was observed. Treated silage was characterized by a high abundance of Saccharomycetes and maintenance of Lactobacillus throughout the aerobic stability assay. The high aerobic stability of the inoculated silage contrasted with the decrease in lactic acid contents and the increase in pH observed in the Control silage, concomitantly with an increase in lactate‐assimilating yeast (Pichia and Issatchenkia), and in Acetobacter and Paenibacillus OTUs. Remarkably, Penicillium and roquefortine C were detected in this silage by day 8 following exposure to air. Our study highlighted the fact that the use of L. buchneri with L. hilgardii modified the consequences of exposure to air by maintaining higher microbial diversity, avoiding the dominance of a few bacteria, and preventing fungi from having a detrimental effect on silage quality.

Bacterial Succession Pattern during the Fermentation Process in Whole-Plant Corn Silage Processed in Different Geographical Areas of Northern China

“…Results were consistent with those of previous studies [9,11,12,14,27]. Moreover, Xu et al [26], Drouin et al [28] and Wang et al [29] revealed that Lactobacillus was the dominant bacterial genus in the final whole-plant corn silage. This showed that Lactobacillus usually dominates bacterial community succession in whole-plant corn silage during fermentation.…”

Microbial Communities, Metabolites, Fermentation Quality and Aerobic Stability of Whole-Plant Corn Silage Collected from Family Farms in Desert Steppe of North China

“…The main LAB species in the silages after ensiling for about 300 d were L. buchneri, L. parafarraginis, L. kefiri, and L. diolivorans (Figure 3b), which belong to L. buchneri group as the sole heterofermentative LAB [25]. However, in previous studies, the main LAB species were L. acetotolerans, L. silagei, L. buchneri, L. odoratitofui, L. farciminis, and L. parafarraginis in whole-plant corn silages (90 d) with low pH (from 3.68 to 3.74) [7], L. plantarum, L. buchneri, and L. brevisi in alfalfa silage (90 d) with high pH (from 4.9 to 5.2) [26], L. plantarum, L. hammesi, L. brevisi, L. coryniformis, and L. piscium in Italian ryegrass silages (42 d) with pH ranging from 4.40 to 5.52 [10].…”

“…Moreover, Drouin et al [10] revealed that ensiling whole-plant corn with LAB inoculant improved the aerobic stability of the silage, by maintaining a higher microbial diversity (Shannon index of bacteria and fungi), avoiding the dominance of a few bacteria, and preventing fungi from damaging silage quality. However, in the present study, the fungal communities in S1 and S4 had higher Shannon, Simpson, and Chao1 indexes, and greater aerobic stability, than S2 and S3, but the bacterial communities in S1, S3, and S4 had lower Shannon, Simpson, and Chao1 indexes than S2 (Table 3, Figure 6).…”

“…The geographical location where at the corn was grown influences the bacterial succession process taking place in whole-plant corn silage and the bacterial community in the final silage [8,9]. Drouin et al [10] reported that ensiling whole-plant corn with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) increases the Shannon indexes of bacterial and fungal communities and modifies the aerobic stability, and Saccharomyces, Issatchenkia, and Kazachstania cause aerobic deterioration during aerobic exposure. Nevertheless, the effect of the geographical location on the fungal community and the aerobic stability of whole-plant corn silage has not yet been reported on.…”

A Novel Microbial Zearalenone Transformation through Phosphorylation

“…The spore-forming capacity of Bacillus contributes to its survival under ensiling conditions, including a prolonged period in a low pH environment as well as anaerobic conditions. The endospores germinate and the cells grow in the silage when the pH and oxygen concentration are appropriate [ 35 , 36 ]. Queiroz et al [ 37 ] proposed that exposure to air results in a greater amount of Bacillus endospores in the outer layers of silage bales than the central and tightly-packed layers.…”