Preparation of microbe-free silage

Gamma radiation in the preparation of maize silage for studies on the aerobic deterioration process

“…Several attempts have been made to make silage from aseptically grown crops, with the object of improving the understanding of the role of plant enzymes in the ensiling process (Mabbitt, 1951;Nilsson, 1957Nilsson, , 1958Stirling, 1961), and to sterilize naturally grown crops with y radiation (Bousset et al 1972;Gouet et al 1972;Gouet, Girardeau & Riou, 1977) or with heat (Kibe, Ewart & McDonald, 1977), prior to inoculation and ensilage in microbiological and chemical studies on the silage fermentation per se. However, these approaches suffer from certain disadvantages, such as problems in the maintenance of asepsis, limitations on the quantity of material which can be produced and treated, heat sterilization, which undoubtedly modifies the chemical integrity of the crop, but of greater importance above all these techniques, in the context of investigations on aerobic deterioration of silage, the starting material would not be 'naturally produced' if any of them were employed.…”