Fermentative profile and bacterial community structure of whole-plant triticale silage (
Triticosecale Wittmack
) with or without the addition of
Streptococcus bovis
and
Lactiplantibacillus plantarum
Authors: Niu Yujie , Guo Yaya , Huang Rongzheng , Niu Junli , Wang Yan , Zhang Peng , Lu Qicheng , Zhang Wenju 
Published: January 2025

This study aimed to investigate the effects of
Streptococcus bovis
and
Lactiplantibacillus plantarum
on the chemical composition, fermentation characteristics, bacterial communities, and predicted metabolic pathways of whole-plant triticale silage (
Triticosecale Wittmack
). Fresh triticale harvested at the milk stage was ensiled in sterile distilled water (CON),
Streptococcus bovis
(ST),
Lactiplantibacillus plantarum
(LP), and a combination of
S. bovis
and
L. plantarum
(LS) for 3, 7, 15, and 30 days. During ensiling, the pH and water-soluble carbohydrate (WSC) content in the inoculated groups was significantly lower than those in the CON group (
P
< 0.05), especially in the LS group (
P
< 0.05). After 7 days of ensiling, the ST and LS groups had lower (
P
< 0.05) starch content and higher (
P
< 0.05) concentrations of lactic acid (LA) and acetic acid (AA). Inoculation with
S. bovis
and
L. plantarum
, either alone or in combination, increased the abundance of
Lactobacillus
and
Pediococcus
while reducing the abundance of
Weissella
,
Rosenbergiella
,
Pantoea
, and
Enterobacter
. Metabolic prediction analysis indicated that inoculation with
S. bovis
enhanced starch and sucrose metabolism during the early stages of ensiling. The abundance of
Streptococcus
positively correlated with LA (
P
< 0.05) and AA concentration but negatively correlated with starch content, pH, and propionic acid (PA) concentration (
P
< 0.05).
S. bovis
inoculation increased starch hydrolysis and carbohydrate metabolism during the early stages.
S. bovis
and
L. plantarum
synergistically improved the fermentation characteristics and bacterial communities of triticale silage. Therefore,
S. bovis
can be used as an additive or for a fast start-up agent to improve silage fermentation quality.

IMPORTANCE

Ensiling is a widely used method for preserving fresh forage. Silage quality is determined by the chemical and microbial composition. Studies have shown that
S. bovis
grew faster than commercial species, thereby creating advantages for other lactic acid bacteria during ensiling. Therefore, we believe that
S. bovis
and
L. plantarum
can synergistically improve the fermentation characteristics and bacterial community in silage. However, few studies use high-throughput methods to explain the impact of
S. bovis
on silage fermentation. Results showed that
S. bovis
significantly affected the fermentation parameters, bacterial community, and metabolic characteristics of triticale silage.
S. bovis
and
L. plantarum
synergistically accelerated the fermentation, reducing pH and WSC while increasing lactic acid and acetic acid concentrations in the early stages of ensiling. Additionally, co-inoculation increased the abundance of
Lactobacillus
and
Pediococcus
and carbohydrate metabolism. This study emphasizes the synergistic role of
S. bovis
and
L. plantarum
in enhancing triticale silage quality, providing scientific support for novel silage additives.