Effects of Bacillus coagulans and Lactobacillus plantarum on the fermentation quality, aerobic stability and microbial community of triticale silage

Abstract Background Due to its hollow stem, ensiling triticale presents a challenge as it may cause an overabundance of oxygen during the fermentation process. This study investigated the effects of Bacillus coagulans (BC) and Lactobacillus plantarum (LP) on the fermentation characteristics, microbial community, and aerobic stability of ensiled triticale. Fresh triticale was wilted at a dry matter content of 350 g/kg. The experiment was arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial design, with both BC and commercial LP added at 0 or 1 × 106 cfu/g of fresh weight (FW) of chopped triticale. Results After 60 days of ensiling, the pH, water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) of inoculated groups were lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05), especially in the LP + BC treatment (P < 0.05). The lactic acid (LA) concentration, lactic acid/acetic acid (LA/AA), and aerobic stability were also higher (P < 0.05) in the LP + BC treatment than in other treatments. The bacterial diversity was reduced, and the richness was increased by the application of LP and BC individually (P < 0.05). Compared with the control silage, LP-treated silage had higher Lactobacillus (P < 0.05), while BC-treated silage had higher Bacillus and Pediococcus (P < 0.05). The LP + BC-treated silage had higher Lactobacillus, Bacillus, Enterococcus, and Serratia (P < 0.05). Bacillus was negatively correlated with NDF (P < 0.05) and AA (P < 0.05). Lactobacillus was positively correlated with LA (P < 0.05) and LA/AA but negatively with pH and NH3-N (P < 0.05). Conclusions The combination of BC and LP may lead to improved ensiled triticale fermentation quality and aerobic stability by inducing alterations in the composition of bacterial communities, which is crucial for the efficient utilization of triticale resources. Graphical Abstract