Abstract
A selected strain Chikuso-1 isolated from corn was characterized, and their application to silage preparation of forage paddy rice was studied. This strain was a Gram- positive and catalase-negative rod that did not produce gas from glucose, formed L (+) and D (-) lactic acid and grew under a low-pH condition. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and DNA-DNA relatedness, the strain Chikuso-1 belonged to Lactobacillus plantarum. This strain was used as additives to round bale silage preparation of forage paddy rice with two cultivars, Hamasari and Kusahonami. Silages inoculated with strain Chikuso-1 were well preserved and exhibited lower pH, butyric acid and ammonia-nitrogen, and higher lactic acid content, as compared to control silages. After 370-days of storage, control silages displayed mould growth, whereas in Chikuso-1-inoculated silages, moulds were nearly or below the detectable level. These results showed that Lactobacillus plantarum Chikuso-1 is of great potential as an inoculant for forage paddy rice.
