Abstract

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the Lactobacillus buchneri strains isolated from tropical whole-plant corn silage for use as a silage inoculant. The corn plants with kernels at hard dough stage of maturity were harvested. The isolated strains 56.22, 56.27, 56.28, and 56.29 were evaluated, and the theoretical application rate was 1.0 × 106 cfu/g of fresh weight. Approximately 7 kg of treated material was conditioned in plastic buckets (mini-silos), 25 cm in diameter and 25 cm in height, sealed with tight lids. The variance analysis and multiple comparisons of data were performed using PROC MIXED of SAS (SAS Inst. Inc., Cary, NC), and the means were separated by Tukey's test (P ≤ 0.05). The L. buchneri strains did not affect the DM content, yeast and molds population, DM losses, water-soluble carbohydrates, lactic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, and ethanol of corn silage after 90 d of ensiling (P > 0.050). The pH, lactic acid bacteria (LAB) population, and acetic acid were affected by inoculants (P < 0.050). The 56.27, 56.28, and 56.29 strains showed lower pH values than the control silage. The LAB number was greater for the silages containing the strains 56.22, and 56.27 in comparison with the control silage (P = 0.003). The L. buchneri strains 56.22, 56.28, and 56.29 decreased the concentration of acetic acid in comparison with the control silage (P = 0.041). After 7 d of air exposure, there was observed no improvement of inoculation with the L. buchneri strains in the aerobic stability of silage when compared with the control (P = 0.289). The overall mean for aerobic stability of corn silage was of 32.7 h. The treated and untreated silages showed high pH, high number of yeasts and molds, and low concentrations of water-soluble carbohydrates and organic acids. In conclusion, the isolated strains when applied in corn silage showed no beneficial effect. Supported by Fapemig, CNPq CAPES, and INCT-CA.

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