Microbiota Metagenome
This study aims to investigate the effects of three lactic acid bacteria (LBA) strains, Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus pentosus, and Lactobacillus fermentum, isolated from traditional pickles in Guizhou, on the fermentation process and microbial community dynamics of ensiled whole-plant corn, soybean, and their mixtures. The results revealed that compared to the control group, the lactic acid levels of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus pentosus were significantly increased in the treatment groups (P < 0.05), resulting in a faster pH reduction, along with decreases in ammonia nitrogen (AN) and butyric acid (BA) content. In contrast, the Lactobacillus fermentum treatment (P < 0.05) promoted acetic acid (AA) production and inhibited the growth of harmful microbiota in soybean silage. Notably, inoculation with all LAB strains enhanced the aerobic stability of maize silage by promoting the proliferation of Lactobacillus during the later stages of fermentation, thereby sustaining a low pH and mitigating the depletion of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC). Furthermore, all treatments accelerated silage fermentation by enhancing the LAB population and competing with yeast and Escherichia coli for available nutrients in mixed silage. These findings indicate that three LAB strains, when used as microbial additives, demonstrated potential to improve silage quality in the Karst region.