Bacterial community dynamics of spineless cactus silage during fermentation and aerobic stability

Spineless cactus adaptation to the semiarid climate coupled with its high productivity have cemented its position as an important fresh feed source for farmers in tropical lands. This study aimed to characterize spineless cactus silage microbial dynamics during ensiling and under aerobic stability to understand its fermentative process and resistance to fungal spoilage during the feed-out phase. A rapid fermentation pattern was observed with pH drop near 4 in two weeks. The genera Lactobacillus, Weissella and Pediococcus were the main microbes involved in spineless cactus fermentation, while Weissella was the dominant LAB during the aerobic stability. Many heterofermentative lactobacilli were detected throughout the fermentation process, along with predicted functional analysis showing activity on the phosphoketolase pathway in all fermentation stages. Clostridial growth was observed at T4, but decreased at T6. We conclude spineless cactus silage is a suitable alternative crop in tropical countries for silage making with optimal aerobic stability.