Table 3. Cultivable microbial population and pH values of alfalfa silage after 60 days of ensiling.
| Items | LAB log CFU/g FM | Yeast log CFU/gFM | Mold log CFU/gFM | pH value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S1 group | ||||
| CK | 6.9 ± 0.019c | 4.6 ± 0.0071 | ND | 6.8 ± 0.038a |
| CE | 7.3 ± 0.019b | ND | ND | 5 ± 0.026d |
| LF | 7.3 ± 0.015b | ND | ND | 5.4 ± 0.041c |
| LF+CE | 7.4 ± 0.019b | ND | ND | 4.7 ± 0.032e |
| S2 group | ||||
| CK | 6.8 ± 0.024c | 4.5 ± 0.038 | ND | 6.1 ± 0.038b |
| CE | 7.4 ± 0.074b | ND | ND | 5.1 ± 0.018d |
| LF | 7.6 ± 0.046a | ND | ND | 5.3 ± 0.074c |
| LF+CE | 7.4 ± 0.014b | ND | ND | 4.8 ± 0.036e |
| SEM | 0.049 | 0.019 | NA | 0.058 |
| Main effects1 | ||||
| WC | 0.132 | 0.052 | NA | <0.001 |
| A | <0.001 | <0.001 | NA | <0.001 |
| WC ×A | 0.003 | 0.019 | NA | <0.001 |
Notes.
- LAB
- lactic acid bacteria
- FM
- fresh matter
- S1
- Sample1 (fresh)
- S2
- Sample 2 (wilted in the field for 5 h)
- CK
- untreated control
- CE
- application of commercial cellulose
- LF
- application of L. fermentum 17SD-2
- LF+CE
- combination of L. fermentum 17SD-2 and commercial CE
- SEM
- Standard error of mean
- ND
- not detected
- NA
- Not applicable
- 1. WC
- water content
- A
- Additives
- WC × A
- the interaction between water content and additives