Lentilactobacillus buchneri LBu 01 reduces dry matter losses and increases the aerobic stability of whole-plant corn silage

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the LBu 01 - CGMCC 19250 strain of Lentilactobacillus buchneri (LB) in whole-plant corn silage (WPCS) during different storage periods. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with a factorial arrangement of treatments (2 × 3), two inoculant levels (control – without inoculant, and experimental – inoculated with 9 log CFU LBu 01/kg of forage), and three storage periods (3, 15, and 62 days). Dry matter (DM) losses, aerobic stability, microorganism population, and nutritional composition were quantified. The pH was lower for the inoculated silage (3.68) than for the control silage (3.73) (P = 0.03). Dry matter loss was lower in LB silage (P<0.01) than in control silage after storage for 15 (6.3% control; 1.6% LB) and 62 (12.9% control; 4.8% LB) days. The digestibility of the NDF after 30 h of incubation was greater (P<0.01) in the inoculated silage (56.9% NDF) than in the control silage (54.9% NDF). At 62 days, the lactic acid concentration was greater in the control silage (9.64% DM) than in the inoculated silage (7.38% DM) (P = 0.03). At 62 days, the LAB population in the inoculated silage increased, and the aerobic stability was greater in the inoculated silage (42 h) than in the control silage (27 h). Silages inoculated with the L. buchneri LBu 01 strain showed promising results, mainly after 62 days of storage. This strain is recommended for use in whole-plant corn silage.