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Cited by 18Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive PhysiologyAgricultural Engineering and MechanizationMycotoxins in Agriculture and Food

The Influence of Delayed Sealing and Repeated Air Ingress during the Storage of Maize Silage on Fermentation Patterns, Yeast Development and Aerobic Stability

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Weiß, Kirsten, Kroschewski, Bärbel, Auerbach, Horst Uwe·2022·Fermentation
DOI 10.3390/fermentation8020048
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Abstract

This study investigates the effects of delayed sealing and repeated air ingress on the formation of primary fermentation products and other volatile organic compounds (VOC), the development of yeasts and the aerobic stability (ASTA) of maize (26.8% dry matter, DM). After packing, the silos were sealed either promptly or with a delay of 24 h, with repeated air ingress after 27, 55 and 135 days of storage. Losses of DM, fermentation pattern, including VOC, yeast numbers and aerobic stability, were determined 6 times during storage for 142 days. Yeast numbers markedly increased during the first three fermentation days, with the effect being much stronger in silage sealed with a delay than in promptly sealed silage (log10 cfu/g FM 7.27 vs. 5.88, p < 0.002). Simultaneously, the concentrations of ethanol and ethyl esters and DM losses increased. The DM losses were closely correlated with the total concentrations of alcohols and acetic acid (delay: R2 = 0.71, p < 0.001; prompt: R2 = 0.91, p < 0.001, respectively). The repeated air ingress for 24 h during storage after completion of the main fermentation phase had only a minor effect on fermentation pattern, VOC formation and DM losses. The relationship between the counts of total yeasts and lactate-assimilating yeasts (LAY) was very strong (R2 = 0.995, p < 0.001), and LAY numbers were shown to be largely responsible for aerobic instability (R2 = 0.752, p < 0.001). This trial proved the detrimental effects of air on silage fermentation with delayed sealing to be much more deleterious than repeated short-term air ingress after about one month of storage.

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  • Air exposure during ensiling can delay fermentation by allowing undesired aerobic microbes to metabolize forage components, which slows growth of lactic acid bacteria, increases pH, and fosters growth of undesirable organisms such as yeasts and molds.

    “Air exposure during the ensiling process can delay fermentation by allowing undesired aerobic microbes to metabolize forage components, which slows down the growth of lactic acid bacteria, increases pH levels, and fosters the growth of undesirable organisms such as yeasts and molds.”

    From Influence of Ensiling Timing and Inoculation on Whole Plant Maize Silage Fermentation and Aerobic Stability (Preliminary Research) (2024) · cites this paper as [5]

    Split into 2 atoms — 1 confirmed, 1 partially supported, 0 disputed, 0 misattributed, 0 unverifiable. Expand the claim to see per-atom verdicts.

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  • These findings (higher ethanol and ammonia-N, lower 1,2-propanediol) could be attributed to aerobic activity of enterobacteria or to oxygen-induced changes of metabolism by LAB.

    “These findings could be attributed to the aerobic activity of enterobacteria or to oxygen-induced changes of the metabolism by LAB [5].”

    From Influence of Ensiling Timing and Inoculation on Whole Plant Maize Silage Fermentation and Aerobic Stability (Preliminary Research) (2024) · cites this paper as [5]

    The Discussion proposes aerobic enterobacteria or oxygen-induced changes in lactic acid bacteria as explanations for higher ethanol and acetic acid in maize silage sealed with a delay during the first seven days. That supports the proposed explanation for higher ethanol, but the passage does not extend it to higher ammonia-N or lower 1,2-propanediol. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • When microorganisms, primarily yeasts, are exposed to air, they consume lactic acid, causing an increase in pH.

    “When microorganisms, primarily yeasts, are exposed to air, they consume this lactic acid, causing an increase in pH [5,35].”

    From Influence of Ensiling Timing and Inoculation on Whole Plant Maize Silage Fermentation and Aerobic Stability (Preliminary Research) (2024) · cites this paper as [5]

    The Introduction (page not provided) says oxygen promotes yeasts and links lactate-assimilating yeasts to faster silage spoilage. It does not state that their consumption of lactic acid causes pH to rise; the Discussion instead reports a pH decrease during the storage conditions studied. (LLM, conf=0.85)

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Cites

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Research works printed but not linked: 16

  1. McDonald, P.; Henderson, A.R.; Heron, S.J.E. The Biochemistry of Silage, 2nd ed.; Chalcombe Publications: Marlow, UK, 1991; pp. 122-129.
  2. Jonsson, A.; Pahlow, G. Systematic classification and biochemical characterization of yeasts growing in grass silages inoculated with Lactobacillus cultures. Anim. Res. Dev. 1984, 20, 7-11.
  3. Weissbach, F.; Kuhla, S. Substance losses in determining the dry matter content of silage and green fodder: Arising errors and possibilities of correction. Übers Tierern. 1995, 23, 189-214.
  4. Weissbach, F.; Strubelt, C. Correcting the dry matter content of maize silages as a substrate for biogas production. Landtechnik 2008, 63, 82-83.
  5. von Lengerken, J.; Zimmermann, K. Handbuch Futtermittelprüfung (Handbook Feed Evaluation), 1st ed.; Deutscher Land- wirtschaftsverlag: Berlin, Germany, 1991; pp. 260-267. (In Germany)
  6. Weiss, K.; Kaiser, E. Milchsäurebestimmung in Silageextrakten mit Hilfe der HPLC [Determination of lactic acid by HPLC]. Das Wirtsch. Futter 1995, 41, 69-80.
  7. Weiss, K.; Sommer, G. Bestimmung von Gärsäuren und Alkoholen in Silageextrakten mittels Gaschromatographie [Determination of fermentation acids and alcohols in silage extracts by gas-chromatography]. VDLUFA-Schriftenreihe 2017, 74, 685-694.
  8. Weiss, K.; Sommer, G. Bestimmung von Estern und anderen flüchtigen organischen Substanzen (VOC) in Silageextrakten mit Hilfe der Gaschromatographie [Determination of esters and other volatile organic compounds (VOC) in silage extracts by gas-chromatography]. VDLUFA-Schriftenreihe 2012, 68, 561-569.
  9. Wolthusen, E.; Weissbach, F.; Derno, M. Fermentation acid content and aerobic stability of silages. In Proceedings of the an International Symposium on Production, Evaluation and Feeding of Silage, Rostock, Germany, 12-16 June 1989; pp. 123-132.
  10. Honig, H. Evaluation of aerobic stability. In Proceedings of the EUROBAC Conference, Uppsala, Sweden, 12-16 August 1986;
  11. Buxton, D.R., Muck, R.E., Harrison, J.H., Eds.; American Society of Agronomy, Inc.: Madison, WI, USA, 2003; Volume 42, pp. 95-139.
  12. Auerbach, H.; Weiss, K.; Theobald, P. Effects of inoculant type and composition on fermentation, aerobic stability and volatile organic compounds in grass silage. In Proceedings of the V International Symposium on Forage Quality and Conservation, Piracicaba, Brazil, 16-18 July 2017;
  13. Auerbach, H.; Weiss, K.; Theobald, P.; Nadeau, E. Effects of inoculant type on dry matter losses, fermentation pattern, yeast count and aerobic stability of green rye silages. In Proceedings of the 12. BOKU-Symposium Tierernährung, Vienna, Austria, 11 April 2013;
  14. Prade, R.A.; Zhan, D.; Ayoubi, P.; Mort, A.J. Pectins, pectinases and plantmicrobe interactions. In Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Reviews; Intercept Limited: Hampshire, UK, 1999; Volume 16, pp. 361-391.
  15. Auerbach, H.; Weiss, K. The effect of different types of silage additives on dry matter losses, fermentation pattern, volatile organic compounds and aerobic stability of sorghum silage. In Proceedings of the XVI International Silage Conference, Hämeenlinna, Finland, 2-4 July 2012;
  16. Kuoppala, K., Rinne, M., Vanhatalo, A., Eds.; MTT Agrifood Research Finland, Universiy of Helsinki: Helsinki, Finland, 2012; pp. 418-419.

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Authors
Weiß, K., Kroschewski, B., & Auerbach, H. U.
Affiliations
  • Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (DE)
  • International Silage Consultancy (ISC), Martha-Brautzsch-Straße 13, 06108 Halle, Germany
Corresponding author
Weiß, Kirsten
ORCID
Venue
Fermentation
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2022-01-22
Volume
8
Issue
2
Pages
48
ISSN
2311-5637 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/fermentation8020048
OpenAlex
W4207060382
Cited by
18
References
42
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3
FWCI
4.24
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Fermentation (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
  • edoc Publication server (Humboldt University of Berlin) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • edoc Publication server (Humboldt University of Berlin) (cc-by)
Funders
  • Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (491192747)
  • Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology
  • Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanical Engineering › Agricultural Engineering and Mechanization
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Mycotoxins in Agriculture and Food
Keywords
corn silage, aerobic stability, silage fermentation, volatile organic compounds, yeast development, dry matter loss, ethanol, ethyl esters, acetic acid, silage spoilage

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