Effects of Bacillus coagulans and Lactobacillus plantarum on the Fermentation Quality, Aerobic Stability and Microbial Community of Triticale Silage

Abstract

The present study investigated the impact of L. plantarum and B. coagulans on the fermentation characteristics, microbial community, and aerobic stability of ensiled triticale. Fresh triticale was wilted at a dry matter content of 35%. The treatments were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial design, with both Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) and Bacillus coagulans 21735(BC) added at 0 or 1 × 106 cfu/g of fresh forage (FW). After 60 d of ensiling, the pH, water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) of inoculated groups were lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05), especially in the LP + BC treatment (P < 0.05). The lactic acid (LA) concentration, lactic acid/acetic acid (LA/AA), and aerobic stability were also higher (P < 0.05) in the LP + BC treatment than in other treatments. The bacterial diversity was reduced, and the richness was increased by the application of LP and BC individually (P < 0.05). Compared with the control silage, LP-treated silage had higher Lactobacillus (P < 0.05), while BC-treated silage had higher Bacillus and Pediococcus (P < 0.05). The LP + BC-treated silage had higher Lactobacillus, Bacillus, Enterococcus and Serratia (P < 0.05). Bacillus was negatively associated with NDF (P < 0.05) and AA (P < 0.05). Lactobacillus was positively associated with LA (P < 0.05) and LA/AA but negatively with pH and NH3-N (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the combination of BC and LP may yield beneficial outcomes in terms of ensiled triticale fermentation quality and aerobic stability by inducing alterations in the composition of bacterial communities, which is crucial for the efficient utilization of triticale resources.