The Influences of Addition of Sugar with or without L. buchneri on Fermentation and Aerobic Stability of Whole Crop Maize Silage Ensiled in Air-stress Silos

The whole plant of crop maize was chopped and ensiled in double-layered polyethylene bags to determine the influence of residual sugar on the fermentation of lactic acid and aerobic stability by L. buchneri in whole crop maize silage made in airstress condition. There were a total of six treatments used in this experiment as follow: added 25 g de-mineralised water per kg chopped maize serving as control (con), 37.5 g glucose solution containing 12.5 g glucose ($g_1$), 75 g glucose solution containing 25 g glucose ($g_2$), 25 g, L,.buchneri suspension intended for $10^6$ cfu $g^{-1}$ (L.b.), $g_1$+L.b. and $g_2$+L.b. All silos were opened at day 91 after ensiling for measuring the pH values, microbiological enumeration, fermentative products and aerobic stability. The dry matter loss increased significantly (p<0.01) due to inclusion of sugar or L. buchneri. The lower lactic acid concentrations were observed (p<0.01) in silages inoculated with L. buchneri only or in combination with sugar addition than the correspondent uninoculated silages. Compared with control silage, ethanol production was about 3 or 6-fold higher due to addition 12.5 or 25 g glucose per kg chopped maize at ensiling. The silages added with sugar contained less acetic acid concentration (p<0.01) than control, but silages inoculated with L. buchneri showed the contrary effects (p<0.01) at different sugar levels. No butyric acid was found in uninoculated silages, silages inoculated with L. buchneri. producted more propionic acid, 1-propanol and butyric acid. Lactic acid bacteria counts increased markedly (p<0.01) due to inoculation with L. buchneri, whereas it was reduced (p<0.01) by added sugar. No significant difference was observed in count of yeast, but inoculation with L. buchneri shows a decreasing trend. Mould count in all silages was less than 2 (log cfu $g^{-1}$). The added sugar had negative effects on aerobic stability of maize silage made under air-stress conditions, whereas inoculation with L. buchneri improves (p<0.01) the aerobic stability.