Dynamics of Bacterial Community and Fermentation Quality in Silage Treated With Lactic Acid Bacteria And/or Water

This study aimed to reveal the bacterial community and fermentation quality of silage during the fermentation process. was harvested at the heading stage, and ensiled with lactic acid bacteria (LAB, L), water (W), or a combination of both (LW) in vacuum-sealed plastic bags. As a control silage, untreated silage was also assessed. The samples were taken at 0, 5, 15, 35, and 60 days after ensiling. The bacterial community structure was assessed by plate cultivation and Illumina sequencing, and the fermentation parameters were also analyzed. Fresh contained low moisture (509 g/kg) and LAB (3.64 log colony-forming units/g fresh weight). Control silage displayed higher pH and lower lactic acid (LA) than other treatments during ensilage ( < 0.05); moreover, LW-treatment had lower pH from 5 to 35 days and greater LA at 5 days than L- and W-treatments ( < 0.05). During the fermentation process, in L- and LW-treatments was the most dominant bacterial genus (>97%), had higher abundance than that in control silage and W-treatment ( < 0.05), and correlated negatively with other main genera and pH, and positively with LA and acetic acid ( < 0.05). Moreover, had considerable abundance in W-treatment from 5 to 15 days (81.38-85.86%). had the most abundance among bacteria in control silage during ensiling (49.31-69.34%), and in W-treatment from 35 to 60 days (47.49-54.15%). The L-, W-, and LW-treatments displayed the aggregated bacterial community at 5 and 15 days, with W-treatment diverging from L- and LW-treatments at 35 and 60 days. Overall, the low moisture and/or insufficient LAB in fresh led to dominating bacterial community and contributing to the high pH and low LA in control silage during the fermentation process. Applying L, W, or LW contributed to succession, LA production, and pH reduction during early stage of fermentation; moreover, treating with L and LW displayed more efficiency. dominated the entire ensilage process in L- and LW-treatments and the early stage of fermentation in W-treatment, and contributed to the satisfactory fermentation quality of silage. The L- and LW-treatments displayed a similar pattern of bacterial succession during ensiling.