The feasibility and effects of exogenous epiphytic microbiota on the fermentation quality and microbial community dynamics of whole crop corn

Abstract

This study analyzed the feasibility and effects of exogenous epiphytic microbiota on the fermentation quality and microbial community of whole crop corn. Gamma irradiated whole crop corn was ensiled with distilled water (STR), extracted microbiota of whole crop corn (WCC), Napier grass (NAP), forage sorghum (FS) or Sudan grass (SUD). WCC significantly increased LA concentration and decreased the pH during early ensiling. FS had significantly higher LA and lower pH during terminal ensiling. NAP caused higher pH and AA followed by the SUD silage. During 3 d of ensiling WCC and FS silage was dominated by Lactobacillus and Lactococcus while Weissella dominated NAP and SUD silage. Terminal silage was dominated by Lactobacillus in FS and Acinetobacter in NAP while Lactobacillus, Acetobacter, Acinetobacter and Sphingobium dominated WCC and SUD silage. The study demonstrated that FS microbiota transplantation positively influenced the microbial community and fermentation quality of whole crop corn silage as compared to other microbiota.