Effect of cornmeal and bagasse on vegetable wastes fermentation quality and ensiling process

Ensiling is considered an effective technique for the decomposition of vegetable waste. Cornmeal and bagasse, which are agricultural residues could be preserved as additives to improve the quality of silage biomass. However, current understanding is limited regarding the fluctuations in nutritive and microbial compositions across different harvest dates. This study evaluated the fermentation attributes of two economically valuable additives, cornmeal and bagasse. The results indicated that crude protein (CP) and fiber content of bagasse silages were higher than those in the cornmeal silages. Conversely, cornmeal silage displayed higher water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC) content than bagasse silages. The ACE-index of cornmeal silages was higher than that of bagasse silages (P < 0.05). NMDS analysis indicated a notable distinction in microbial composition between bagasse and cornmeal silages (P < 0.05). Lefse analysis revealed that Lactibacillus was the predominant genus in cornmeal silages while Prevotella in bagasse silages. Network and random forest analyses revealed that Lactobacillus played a pivotal role in maintaining the stability of microbial composition during ensiling primarily influencing the breakdown of macromolecular substances. Additionally, it was observed that the microbial networks within bagasse silages exhibited greater stability. This study investigated the impact of cornmeal and bagasse additives on the quality of silage fermentation, highlighting that Lactibacillus as key-stone taxon in ensiling process. These finding offer a pathway for improving the efficiency of utilizing vegetable wastes, consequently enhancing their economic value.