Yeasts and fungi occurring in ensiled whole-crop maize and other ensiled vegetable crops

Abstract

The yeast flora of whole-crop maize ensiled for two weeks was predominated by Candida holmii, C. lambica, C. milleri, Hansenula anomala and Saccharomyces dairensis. Inoculation with other yeast species reported in the literature to prevail in maize or wheat silages did not alter the yeast flora. At 25 or 30 degrees C the ascomycetous fermentative species found at 20 degrees C were accompanied with ascomycetous non-fermentative fungi, i.c. Exophiala jeanselmei and Verticillium psalliotae, by the non-fermentative imperfect basidiomycetous yeast Rhodotorula mucilaginosa and by the weakly fermentative imperfect ascomycetous yeast Trichosporon adeninovorans. The yeast flora of other vegetable crops, ensiled at 20 degrees C for two weeks, was predominated by the same species that prevailed in ensiled maize, provided the crop did not contain mustard oils or menthol. If these compounds occurred in the crops, the yeast flora was predominated by nonfermentative species like Candida famata, Stephanoascus ciferrii, Rhodotorula minuta, Rh. rubra and Trichosporon cutaneum.