Influence of genotype and maturity in microbiological diversity in corn grain for silage

Author(s)

Paula de Almeida Carvalho

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: Piracicaba.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALA/BC)
• Defense date: 2014-07-11

Examining board members

Luiz Gustavo Nussio; Fernando Dini Andreote; Carla Luiza da Silva Ávila

• Advisor: Luiz Gustavo Nussio

Abstract

The agronomic background of crops in general, explains the microbial community present in silage, however, diversity and contamination status may help on understanding the silage fermentation profile and aerobic stability. In the present work, the influence of factors such as different genotypes, different stages of plants development and storage time in the composition of bacterial communities were evaluated. On this way, maize cultivars AG 1051 (\"dent\") and IAC 8390 (\"flint\") were harvested in three physiological stages (whole plant silage, wet grain silage and dry grain), the grain were grounded and ensiled for 0, 7 and 120 days. Nowadays, the applications of techniques of molecular microbiology allow assessing the shifts caused on these communities by a culture independent approach, therefore, bacterial community were evaluated by Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis technique (DGGE), and PCR products were sequenced by Illumina MiSeqTM System. It was demonstrated that in high moisture corn silage, different stages of plants development are main determinants of bacterial community composition rather than the plants genotypes and storage time. In addition in the samples of reconstituted dry grain, it was demonstrated that after 120 days of storage, sequences affiliated to the gender Clostridium accounted for a total of approximately 40% of total sequences affiliated to genera found, while the genus Lactobacillus represented less than 7% of sequences affiliated to this gender. Probably dried grains suffer more stress at field conditions, which in turn can interfere with the sanitary hygienic quality of silages obtained from these grains. At least, based on these results it is clear the possibility of performing potential specific additives recommendations, unique at each stage of maize plants development. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 12/14932-0 - INFLUENCE OF GENOTYPE AND MATURITY IN MICROBIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IN CORN GRAIN FOR SILAGE
• Grantee: Paula de Almeida Carvalho
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master