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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2022, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (7): 85-95.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2021261

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Effect of a rumen cellulolytic microbial consortium on the degradation of structural carbohydrate in sterile rice straw silage

Jun-feng LI(), Jie ZHAO, Xiao-yue TANG, Tong-tong DAI, Dong DONG, Cheng ZONG, Tao SHAO()   

  1. Institute of Ensiling and Processing of Grass,College of Agro-grassland and Science,Nanjing Agricultural University,Nanjing 210095,China
  • Received:2021-06-29 Revised:2021-09-08 Online:2022-07-20 Published:2022-06-01
  • Contact: Tao SHAO

Abstract:

In order to improve the fermentation quality of rice (Oryza sativa) straw silage, this study aimed to isolate a facultative anaerobic cellulolytic microbial consortium (i.e. a group of two or more rumen bacteria working symbiotically) from the rumens of black-and-white dairy cows and further evaluate its effect on the fermentation quality and structural carbohydrates degradation of rice straw silage. The cellulolytic microbial consortium (M6) was screened from rumen contents by continuous enrichment cultivation, Congo red staining, acid-resistant induction screening, secondary screening through filter paper degradation, and enzyme activity assay. Rice straw was treated with following: 1) Natural fermentation of non-irradiated rice straw (CK); 2) Irradiated rice straw ensiled directly (IRR); 3) Irradiated rice straw ensiled with combined lactic acid bacteria (CLAB); 4) Irradiated rice straw ensiled with the microbial consortium (M6). Each treatment was sampled randomly after 3, 6, 15, 45, 60 and 90 days of ensiling for laboratory analysis. It was found that the pH of M6 silages was lower than that of other silages after 60 days of ensiling, and reached the minimum (4.62) on day-60 of ensiling. After 45 days of ensiling, the lactic acid content of M6 silage was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that of other silages and reached the maximum (23.90 g?kg-1 DM) on the day-90 of ensiling. After 15 days of ensiling, the contents of neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and cellulose in M6 silages were significantly (P<0.05) lower than those of other silages, and were lowest on day-90 of ensiling. After 60 days of ensiling, the IRR and M6 silages maintained higher levels of water-soluble carbohydrate content than other treatments, followed by the CLAB silage. In summary, the microbial consortium M6 is effective in degrading cellulose and promoting lactic acid fermentation of rice straw silage. The addition of this cellulolytic microbial consortium effectively improved the fermentation quality of rice straw. This work provides a theoretical basis for the development and application of a silage additive containing the M6 microbial consortium.

Key words: cellulolytic microbial consortium, rice straw, fermentation quality, water-soluble carbohydrate