AUTHOR=Zheng Yulong , Li Mengxin , Xu Jinyi , Sun Hong , Cheng Qiming , Xie Yixiao , Wang Chunmei , Chen Chao , Li Ping 

TITLE=Effects of different cutting methods and additives on the fermentation quality and microbial community of Saccharum arundinaceum silage

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2022.999881

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2022.999881

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=<p>To develop a new high-yielding and polysaccharide-containing forage resource for livestock, the effects of different cutting methods and additives on <italic>Saccharum arundinaceum</italic> silage were evaluated. The wilted <italic>S. arundinaceum</italic> were chopped and knead-wired. The silages from each cutting method were treated with <italic>Lactobacillus plantarum</italic> (LP), cellulase (CE) and the combination of LP and CE (LP + CE) for 3, 7, 15, 30, and 60 days. Compared with the CK treatment, CE treatment exhibited better effects in the degradation of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), LP exhibited a better performance in preserving the content of dry matter (DM), and adding LP + CE significantly enhanced (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05) the contents of lactic acid (LA), crude protein (CP) and DM and significantly reduced (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05) the pH and NDF content during ensiling. In addition, both additives exerted a remarkable effect on the silage bacterial community (<italic>P</italic> &lt; 0.05), with a dramatic increase in the <italic>Lactobacillus</italic> abundance and a decrease in the abundance of <italic>Enterobacter</italic>. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) became the most dominant bacteria that affected the fermentation quality of LP and LP + CE silages. Meanwhile, chopped silages showed better fermentation quality and nutrient preservation and a higher abundance of LAB. Our research indicated that the chopped <italic>S. arundinaceum</italic> ensiling with LP + CE could exert a positive effect on LA fermentation and preservation of nutrient substances by shifting the bacterial community. In conclusion, <italic>S. arundinaceum</italic> can serve as a new silage resource for feed utilization by the ensiling method of LP + CE-chopped.</p>