An Investigation into the Effects of Graphene and Cellulase Preparation on the Fermentation Quality and Bacterial Community Structure of Mulberry Silage

Le résumé fourni par la source

Developing efficient utilization approaches for unconventional feed resources is critical for sustainable livestock production. Mulberry (Morus alba L.) is a woody forage resource with high nutritional value. However, its inherent lignocellulosic barrier hinders high-quality fermentation during natural ensiling without exogenous additives. In this study, mature mulberry was ensiled under 8 treatments: a blank control (without any exogenous additives), 6 graphene treatments (G5, G10, G20, G25, G50, G75) with final graphene concentrations of 5, 10, 20, 25, 50, and 75 mg/L respectively, and a cellulase treatment (AC, Acremonium cellulolyticus). Four biological replicates were prepared for each treatment, and fermentation quality, chemical composition, and bacterial community structure were determined after 60 days of ensiling. Low-dose graphene treatments (G5 and G10) showed no significant difference in fermentation quality compared with the control. Across the G20–G75 gradient, silage pH decreased and then increased with rising graphene dosage, while lactic acid content exhibited the opposite trend. The G50 treatment achieved optimal fermentation performance, characterized by high lactic acid accumulation (2.84% DM), a low pH (4.13), and a low ammonia nitrogen/total nitrogen ratio (15.85%). The neutral detergent fiber content of the G50 treatment was comparable to that of the AC treatment. The relative abundance of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum increased with graphene concentration, with the minimum value observed in G5 and the maximum in G50. This study demonstrated that 50 mg/L graphene alone effectively alleviated the fermentation barrier of woody forage silage, with fermentation performance comparable to or even superior to that of cellulase treatment. These findings provide new insights and a theoretical basis for the application of functional nanomaterials in the livestock industry.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.