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Effect of the stage of growth, wilting and inoculation in field pea ( Pisum sativum L.) silages. I. Herbage composition and silage fermentation
Author(s) -
Borreani Giorgio,
Cavallarin Laura,
Antoniazzi Sara,
Tabacco Ernesto
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
journal of the science of food and agriculture
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.782
H-Index - 142
eISSN - 1097-0010
pISSN - 0022-5142
DOI - 10.1002/jsfa.2525
Subject(s) - silage , field pea , wilting , sativum , dry matter , microbial inoculant , agronomy , lactic acid , biology , point of delivery , fermentation , pisum , inoculation , horticulture , chemistry , food science , bacteria , genetics
The stage of growth, field wilting and inoculation with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) effects were studied by ensiling herbage of field pea ( Pisum sativum L.) at four consecutive stages. Stands of semi‐leafless field pea, sown in spring, were harvested at four progressive morphological stages (end of flowering, I; beginning of pod filling, II; advanced pod filling, III; beginning of ripening, IV). For each stage of growth, the herbage was field wilted to a dry matter (DM) content of 318, 300, 348 and 360 g kg −1 for stages I, II, III and IV, respectively. The unwilted and wilted herbages were ensiled in 5‐L silos, with (I) and without (C) a LAB inoculant ( Lactobacillus plantarum) . High levels of ethanol, lactic acid and volatile fatty acids (VFA) were observed in all silages, facilitated by the high levels of water‐soluble carbohydrates (WSC) at ensiling (from 111 to 198 g kg −1 DM). Despite the low pH values (4.3 and 4.1 for C and I silages, respectively), all the silages showed detectable levels of butyric acid. Field peas can be successfully ensiled after a short wilting period with reduced field curing and reduce DM losses onward from advanced pod filling stage, with the aid of LAB inoculum. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry