Table 2 Effects of phyllosphere microbiota and chemical constituent on anaerobic fermentation quality and SCFA production

pH

3.89^A

3.80^A

3.51^B

3.60^B

0.048

 < 0.001

0.997

0.020

Dry matter (g/kg FW)

141^B

141^B

281^A

288^A

21.75

 < 0.001

0.523

0.472

Lactic acid (g/kg DM)

52.3^C

64.4^BC

96.8^A

85.0^A

5.595

 < 0.001

0.330

0.006

Acetic acid (g/kg DM)

20.6^B

31.6^A

12.0^C

22.1^B

2.453

 < 0.001

 < 0.001

0.656

Propionic acid (g/kg DM)

0.04^C

0.04^C

0.43^B

1.05^A

0.174

0.040

0.306

0.312

Butyric acid (g/kg DM)

ND

ND

ND

ND

–

–

–

–

SCFA (g/kg DM)

72.9^C

96.0^B

109^A

108^A

6.022

 < 0.001

0.062

0.362

Ratio of lactic to acetic acid

2.57^C

2.04^C

8.31^A

3.87^B

0.402

0.001

0.004

0.013

Water soluble carbohydrates (g/kg DM)

69.1^C

69.8^C

210^A

178^B

19.18

 < 0.001

0.055

0.007

NH₃-N (g/kg TN)

77.2^B

75.2^B

90.9^A

93.1^A

2.325

0.011

0.158

0.403

Lactic acid bacteria (Log₁₀ cfu/g FW)

7.76

8.11

7.44

7.37

0.125

0.032

0.514

0.328

Aerobic bacteria (Log₁₀ cfu/g FW)

< 2.00

< 2.00

< 2.00

< 2.00

0.403

–

–

–

Yeasts (Log₁₀ cfu/g FW)

3.41^A

3.17^A

 < 2.00^B

 < 2.00^B

0.467

0.017

0.956

0.795

Moulds (Log₁₀ cfu/g FW)

ND

 < 2.00

ND

ND

0.300

–

–

–

Enterobacteria (Log₁₀ cfu/g FW)

 < 2.00

ND

ND

ND

0.217

–

–

–