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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Microbiol.
Sec. Microbial Physiology and Metabolism
Volume 15 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2024.1473238

Microbiome and response surface methodology analyses reveal Acetobacter pasteurianus as the core bacteria responsible for aerobic spoilage of corn silage (Zea mays) in hot and humid areas

Provisionally accepted
Rui Bai Rui Bai 1Haiping Li Haiping Li 2Shiyong Chen Shiyong Chen 1Xianjun Yuan Xianjun Yuan 3Chen Youjun Chen Youjun 1Yanling Huang Yanling Huang 1Qingping Zhou Qingping Zhou 1HAO GUAN HAO GUAN 1*
  • 1 Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, China
  • 2 Qinghai Normal University, Xining, Qinghai Province, China
  • 3 Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, Jiangsu Province, China

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Weak aerobic stability is a significant issue for whole-plant corn silage in hot, humid regions. Acetobacter is often seen as an indicator of aerobic deterioration in silage, but its role in fermentation and exposure, and the factors facilitating its growth, remain unclear. Bagged whole-plant corn silage was prepared with controlled dry matter (DM) content (20%, 25% and 30%) and initial Acetobacter pasteurianus concentration (40%, 50% and 60%), stored for 60 days at varying temperatures (20°C, 30°C and 40°C), then exposed to air at room temperature (20~25°C) for 7 days with or without A. pasteurianus inoculation. The findings showed A. pasteurianus did not affect the nutritional value during anaerobic fermentation, maintaining a low pH (< 3.80). However, aerobic stability decreased significantly with A. pasteurianus inoculation during air exposure. Initial microorganisms were mainly Klebsiella species, shifting to Lactobacillus and Acetobacter species after ensiling. During aerobic exposure, A. pasteurianus and A. fabarum became predominant. Response surface methodology (RSM) revealed that A. pasteurianus proliferated most at 28°C, 25% DM, and 52% initial concentration at 3 ml/kg during the aerobic phase. These findings confirm A. pasteurianus reduces aerobic stability and identify optimal conditions for its proliferation, providing a basis for preventing and controlling A. pasteurianus to improve aerobic stability in hot and humid areas.

    Keywords: Acetobacter pasteurianus1, whole-plant corn silage2, aerobic stability3, bacterial community4, response surface methodology5

    Received: 30 Jul 2024; Accepted: 30 Aug 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Bai, Li, Chen, Yuan, Youjun, Huang, Zhou and GUAN. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: HAO GUAN, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu, China

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