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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2021, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (1): 150-158.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2020079

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Effects of cutting time and plant height of ‘Reyan No.4’ king grass on distribution of lactic acid bacteria and silage fermentation quality

Xin-zhu CHEN1,2(), Jian-guo ZHANG1()   

  1. 1.Department of Grassland Science,South China Agricultural University,Guangzhou 510642,China
    2.Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine,Fujian Academy of Agricultural Sciences,Fuzhou 350013,China
  • Received:2020-02-26 Revised:2020-06-17 Online:2021-01-20 Published:2021-01-08
  • Contact: Jian-guo ZHANG

Abstract:

In this study, we investigated the effects of cutting time and plant height on the distribution of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and the fermentation quality of king grass (Pennisetum purpureum×Pennisetum typhoideum cv. ‘Reyan No.4’) silage. We analyzed the LAB distribution on, and characteristics of, king grass cut at different times (first, second, and third cuttings) and at different plant heights (1.0, 1.5, and 2.0 m), and evaluated the fermentation quality of silages produced from these materials. The results showed that with the increase in king grass height, the contents of dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) increased significantly (P<0.05), and the crude protein (CP) content and pH value significantly decreased (P<0.05). The DM content in king grass was significantly higher (P<0.05) at the second cutting than at the first and third cuttings. At the first cutting, the contents of CP, water soluble-carbohydrate (WSC), and ADF were the highest, and the NDF content was the lowest. The fermentation quality of the silage produced from the second cutting was better than that of the silages produced from the first and the third cuttings. The fermentation quality of silage produced from 2.0 m high king grass was better than that of silages produced from 1.0 and 1.5 m high king grass. The number of LAB detected from king grass was significantly higher (P<0.05) at the second and third cuttings than at the first cutting. The highest number of LAB was detected from 2.0 m high king grass, but the number did not differ significantly among the three heights (P>0.05). The most abundant LAB on king grass were Lactobacillus plantarum and Weissella confusa. Two types of LAB were isolated from king grass at the first cutting and four types of LAB were isolated at the third cutting.

Key words: Reyan No.4 king grass, cutting, plant height, lactic acid bacteria