AUTHOR=Cheng Qiming , Li Maoya , Fan Xueying , Chen Yulian , Sun Hong , Xie Yixiao , Zheng Yulong , Chen Chao , Li Ping 

TITLE=Effects of epiphytic and exogenous lactic acid bacteria on fermentation quality and microbial community compositions of paper mulberry silage

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2022.973500

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2022.973500

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>This study aimed to isolate, characterize, and identify lactic acid bacteria (LAB) strains from various sources and evaluate their effects on the nutritional quality, fermentation characteristics, and microbial compositions of paper mulberry (PM) after 60 days of ensiling. Forty-nine LAB strains were isolated from <italic>Phalaris arundinacea</italic> silage, pickle, and fresh PM leaves; three of these strains (<italic>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</italic>, YC1; <italic>Levilactobacillus brevis</italic>, PC3; and <italic>Lactiplantibacillus plantarum</italic>, BP17) and one commercial inoculant Gaofuji (GFJ) were subsequently used. Compared with other treatments, PC3 and BP17 increased (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05) the LAB count and crude protein content and decreased (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05) the molds and coliform bacteria counts, pH, and ammonia-N content of PM silages. BP17 and PC3 increased the relative <italic>Lactiplantibacillus</italic> abundance and decreased that of <italic>Lelliottia</italic> and <italic>Cladosporium</italic>, improving PM silage quality. Therefore, PC3 and BP17 can improve the fermentation quality of PM silage and could be used as silage starter cultures.</p>