Description
Tropical grasses have characteristics that allow the occurrence of undesirable fermentations resulting in low quality silage. Inoculants can improve silage quality. Fermentation profile and microbial population of signal grass silages under four management (M), with and without microbial inoculant, were evaluated. The experiment was carried out in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme, with silages of signal grass managed without N application (control, 0N), fertilized with 50 kg ha-1 of N (50N), fertilized with 100 kg ha-1 of N (100N), or signal grassintercropped with calopo (Calopogonium mucunoides D.) (LEG), with inoculant (I) andwithout inoculant (WI), in a randomized block design, with two replications of area and two replications of treatment per block. Analysis of pH, organic acids, ethanol, ammonia nitrogen, and microbial populations were performed in the silages. The use of inoculant reduced the acetic acid concentration in the 100N treatment silages (20.1 to 12.8 g kg-1 of DM). The lowest concentration of butyric acid (BA) (2.33 g kg-1 DM) was observed in signal grass silage fertilized with 100 kg of N, without inoculant. In inoculated silages, the treatments 50N and LEG provided lower concentrations of BA in relation to the control. Silage from the uninoculated 50N treatment had the lowest concentration of N-NH3 in relation to the other silages. The lactic acid bacteria (LAB) population was not affected by the factors studied. The inoculant provided a reduction in the population of enterobacteria. No mold and yeast populations were detected in the silages investigated. Signal grass silage fertilized with N or intercropped with calopo, with microbial inoculant, had better fermentative characteristics and could be an option for strategic management of pastures in tropical areas.
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Fermentation Profile of Signal Grass Silages Intercropped With Calopo or Fertilized With Nitrogen and Treated With Microbial Inoculant
Tropical grasses have characteristics that allow the occurrence of undesirable fermentations resulting in low quality silage. Inoculants can improve silage quality. Fermentation profile and microbial population of signal grass silages under four management (M), with and without microbial inoculant, were evaluated. The experiment was carried out in a 4 × 2 factorial scheme, with silages of signal grass managed without N application (control, 0N), fertilized with 50 kg ha-1 of N (50N), fertilized with 100 kg ha-1 of N (100N), or signal grassintercropped with calopo (Calopogonium mucunoides D.) (LEG), with inoculant (I) andwithout inoculant (WI), in a randomized block design, with two replications of area and two replications of treatment per block. Analysis of pH, organic acids, ethanol, ammonia nitrogen, and microbial populations were performed in the silages. The use of inoculant reduced the acetic acid concentration in the 100N treatment silages (20.1 to 12.8 g kg-1 of DM). The lowest concentration of butyric acid (BA) (2.33 g kg-1 DM) was observed in signal grass silage fertilized with 100 kg of N, without inoculant. In inoculated silages, the treatments 50N and LEG provided lower concentrations of BA in relation to the control. Silage from the uninoculated 50N treatment had the lowest concentration of N-NH3 in relation to the other silages. The lactic acid bacteria (LAB) population was not affected by the factors studied. The inoculant provided a reduction in the population of enterobacteria. No mold and yeast populations were detected in the silages investigated. Signal grass silage fertilized with N or intercropped with calopo, with microbial inoculant, had better fermentative characteristics and could be an option for strategic management of pastures in tropical areas.
