AUTHOR=Cui Xiaopeng , Yang Yuxin , Zhang Minjuan , Jiao Feng , Gan Tiantian , Lin Ziwei , Huang Yanzhen , Wang Hexin , Liu Shuang , Bao Lijun , Su Chao , Qian Yonghua 

TITLE=Optimized Ensiling Conditions and Microbial Community in Mulberry Leaves Silage With Inoculants

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Microbiology

VOLUME=Volume 13 - 2022

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/microbiology/articles/10.3389/fmicb.2022.813363

DOI=10.3389/fmicb.2022.813363

ISSN=1664-302X

ABSTRACT=Mulberry leaves (ML) are a promising alternative fodder source due to their high protein
content and the abundance of active components. A test of three inoculants in various
combinations revealed that high quality ML silage was produced at an inoculum ratio of
1:1:0 (50% Saccharomyces cerevisiae, 50% Lactobacillus plantarum and 0% Bacillus subtilis).
Using dry matter (DM) loss, pH, ammonia-N and amino acid contents, total antioxidant
activity, and total flavonoids content to evaluate silage quality, this inoculant mixture was
shown to produce high quality silage within a range of inoculum size (5–15%), moisture
contents (50–67%), ensiling temperatures (27–30 °C),and ensiling duration (14–30 d). A
third trial comparing silages produced after 30 d at 28 °C and 50% moisture content
revealed that silage E, prepared using a L. plantarum inoculant alone, displayed the lowest
DM loss and pH, low bacterial diversity, and was dominated by Lactobacillus (88.6%), with
low abundance of Enterobacter (6.17%). By contrast, silage B5,prepared with equal ratios of
L. plantarum and S. cerevisiae, was dominated by Enterococcus (67.16%) and Lactobacillus
(26.94%), with no yeast persisting; reducing DM content from 50% to 40% altered these
relative abundances to 5.47, 60.61, and 0%, respectively. Control silages produced without
an inoculant had the highest pH and ammonia-N content (indicative of poor quality) and
lowest anti-oxidant activity, had higher bacterial diversity, and were dominated by
Carnobacterium (74.28%) and Enterococcus (17.3%). In summary, ensiling of ML conditions
with proper inoculants yielded high-quality silage with a favorable microbial community
composition.