The influence of addition of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus brevis on the fermentation quality of silages from permanent grassland

Abstract

The aim of the experiment was to determine the influence of the addition of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus brevis on the quality of the fermentation process of silage from the permanent grassland after 12 months of storage in silage bags. In the phytomas of the permanent grassland the proportion of grass was 86% (with the prevalence of Arrhenatherum elatius), herbs 13% and leguminous 1%. The experiment consisted of two variants: variant C (control-without additive) and variant A with the addition of additive. In experimental variant A, biological additive consisting of Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus brevis 2*105 CFU (colony forming units)*g-1 was applied on wilted grass matter at a rate of 1 liter per ton. The silage matter was stored with a press in silo bags with a diameter of 2.7 m (first bag without additive - variant C and second bag with additive - variant A). After 12 months of storage, average samples of silages were taken to determine the parameters of fermentation process. Application of biological additive based on homofermentative and heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus brevis) influenced the quality of the silages from permanent grassland after 12 months of storage with statistically lower acetic and butyric acid content, alcohols, degree of proteolysis and lower pH value. The results confirmed, that the addition Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus brevis had positive influence on the quality of the fermentation process of silage from the permanent grassland.

Keywords

• fermentation
• Lactobacillus brevis
• Lactobacillus plantarum
• permanent grassland
• silage