Dynamic Profiles of Fermentation Quality and Microbial Community of Kudzu (Pueraria lobata) Ensiled with Sucrose

Abstract

The study aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of added sucrose on the fermentation quality and microbial community of kudzu (Pueraria lobata) silage. The three sucrose supplementation levels utilized were 0, 0.5, and 1.0%, and kudzu was silaged for 15, 30, and 60 days. Sucrose supplementation significantly decreased the pH levels, acid detergent fiber, ammonia nitrogen content, and relative abundance of Pantoea in the silages (p < 0.05). The addition of 1% sucrose to kudzu silage at 60 days had the lowest acid detergent fiber content, the highest crude protein, and the highest relative feed value. Additionally, the sucrose-supplemented silage had a lower pH than that of the control group at each time point. The dominant genera in all groups were Klebsiella, Enterobacteriaceae, Lactobacillus, and Weissella, and the relative abundance of Enterobacteriaceae was lower in the 1% sucrose-supplemented group than in the control group. These results showed that sucrose addition could improve the quality of kudzu silage and increase its beneficial microbial community.