A total of 161 low-G+C-content gram-positive bacteria isolated from whole-crop paddy rice silage were classified and subjected to phenotypic and genetic analyses. Based on morphological and biochemical characters, these presumptive lactic acid bacterium (LAB) isolates were divided into 10 groups that included members of the genera Enterococcus , Lactobacillus , Lactococcus , Leuconostoc , Pediococcus , and Weissella . Analysis of the 16S ribosomal DNA (rDNA) was used to confirm the presence of the predominant groups indicated by phenotypic analysis and to determine the phylogenetic affiliation of representative strains. The virtually complete 16S rRNA gene was PCR amplified and sequenced. The sequences from the various LAB isolates showed high degrees of similarity to those of the GenBank reference strains (between 98.7 and 99.8%). Phylogenetic trees based on the 16S rDNA sequence displayed high consistency, with nodes supported by high bootstrap values. With the exception of one species, the genetic data was in agreement with the phenotypic identification. The prevalent LAB, predominantly homofermentative (66%), consisted of Lactobacillus plantarum (24%), Lactococcus lactis (22%), Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides (20%), Pediococcus acidilactici (11%), Lactobacillus brevis (11%), Enterococcus faecalis (7%), Weissella kimchii (3%), and Pediococcus pentosaceus (2%). The present study, the first to fully document rice-associated LAB, showed a very diverse community of LAB with a relatively high number of species involved in the fermentation process of paddy rice silage. The comprehensive 16S rDNA-based approach to describing LAB community structure was valuable in revealing the large diversity of bacteria inhabiting paddy rice silage and enabling the future design of appropriate inoculants aimed at improving its fermentation quality.

Natural lactic acid bacteria (LAB) populations in tropical grasses and their fermentation characteristics on silage prepared with cellulase enzyme and LAB inoculants were studied. A commercial inoculant Lactobacillus plantarum Chikuso 1 (CH), a local selected strain Lactobacillus casei TH14 (TH14), and 2 cellulases, Acremonium cellulase (AC) and Maicelase (MC; Meiji Seika Pharma Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan), were used as additives to silage preparation with fresh and wilted (6 h) Guinea grass and Napier grass. Silage was prepared using a laboratory-scale fermentation system. Treatments were CH, TH14, AC at 0.01% fresh matter, AC 0.1%, MC 0.01%, MC 0.1%, CH+AC 0.01%, CH+AC 0.1%, CH+MC 0.01%, CH+MC 0.1%, TH14+AC 0.1%, TH14+AC 0.01%, TH14+MC 0.1%, and TH14+MC 0.01%. Microorganism counts of Guinea grass and Napier grass before ensiling were 102 LAB and 106 aerobic bacteria; these increased during wilting. Based on morphological and biochemical characteristics, and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, natural strains from both grasses were identified as L. plantarum, L. casei, Lactobacillus acidipiscis, Leuconostoc pseudomesenteroides, Leuconostoc garlicum, Weissella confusa, and Lactococcus lactis. Lactobacillus plantarum and L. casei are the dominant species and could grow at lower pH and produce more lactic acid than the other isolates. Crude protein and neutral detergent fiber were 5.8 and 83.7% of dry matter (DM) for Guinea grass, and 7.5 and 77.1% of DM for Napier grass. Guinea grass had a low level of water-soluble carbohydrates (0.39% of DM). Guinea grass silage treated with cellulase had a lower pH and higher lactic acid content than control and LAB treatments. The 0.1% AC and MC treatments had the best result for fermentation quality. All high water-soluble carbohydrate (2.38% DM) Napier grass silages showed good fermentation quality. Compared with control and LAB-inoculated silage, the cellulase-treated silages had significantly higher crude protein content and lower neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber contents. The results confirmed that cellulase could improve tropical silage quality, inhibiting protein degradation and promoting fiber degradation.

The natural lactic acid bacteria (LAB) population, chemical composition, and silage fermentation of fruit residues were studied. Eighty-two strains of LAB were isolated from fruit residues such as banana leaf and stem, pineapple peel, and papaya peel. All strains were gram-positive and catalase-negative bacteria, and they were divided into 7 groups (A-G) according to morphological and biochemical characters. Strains in groups A to F were rods, and group G was cocci. Group F produced gas from glucose; other groups did not. Groups A to C and F formed dl-lactic acid, whereas groups D, E, and G formed l-lactic acid. Based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence and DNA-DNA hybridization analysis, groups A to G strains were identified as Lactobacillus plantarum (54.9% of the total isolates), Lactobacillus paraplantarum (3.6%), Lactobacillus nagelii (8.5%), Lactobacillus perolens (4.9%), Lactobacillus casei (11.0%), Lactobacillus fermentum (9.8%), and Enterococcus gallinarum (7.3%), respectively. Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus casei are the most frequently isolated from fruit residues as a dominant species, and they could grow at a lower pH conditions and produce more lactic acid than other isolates. Pineapple and papaya peels contained higher crude protein (11.5-13.8%) and water-soluble carbohydrate (16.8-22.4%), but lower acid detergent fiber contents (21.2 to 26.4%) than banana stems and leaves (8.2% crude protein, 42.8% acid detergent fiber, and 5.1% water-soluble carbohydrate). Compared with banana stem and leaf silages, the pineapple and papaya peel silages were well preserved with a lower pH and higher lactate content. The study suggests that the fruit residues contain excellent LAB species and abundant feed nutrients, and that they can be preserved as silage to be potential food resources for livestock.

Background: Feed shortage is an important factor limiting livestock production in the world. To effectively utilize natural woody plant resources, we used wilting and microbial additives to prepare an anaerobic fermentation feed of mulberry, and used PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing technology to analyse the “enzyme–bacteria synergy” and fermentation mechanism. Results: The fresh branches and leaves of mulberry have high levels of moisture and nutrients, and also contain a diverse range of epiphytic microorganisms. After ensiling, the microbial diversity decreased markedly, and the dominant bacteria rapidly shifted from Gram-negative Proteobacteria to Gram-positive Firmicutes. Lactic acid bacteria (LAB) emerged as the dominant microbial population, resulting in increased in the proportion of the carbohydrate metabolism and decreased in the proportion of the amino acid and “global and overview map” (GOM) metabolism categories. The combination of cellulase and LAB exhibited a synergistic effect, through which cellulases such as glycanase, pectinase, and carboxymethyl cellulase decomposed cellulose and hemicellulose into sugars. LAB converted these sugars into lactic acid through the glycolytic pathway, thereby improving the microbial community structure, metabolism and fermentation quality of mulberry silage. The GOM, carbohydrate metabolism, and amino acid metabolism were the main microbial metabolic categories during ensiling. The presence of LAB had an important effect on the microbial community and metabolic pathways during silage fermentation. A “co-occurrence microbial network” formed with LAB, effectively inhibiting the growth of harmful microorganisms, and dominating the anaerobic fermentation process. Conclusions: In summary, PacBio SMRT was used to accurately analyse the microbial network information and regulatory mechanism of anaerobic fermentation, which provided a scientific basis for the study of woody silage fermentation theory. This study reveals for the first time the main principle of the enzyme–bacteria synergy in a woody silage fermentation system, which provides technical support for the development and utilization of woody feed resources, and achieves sustainable livestock production.