COMPARATIVE-ANALYSIS OF AMYLOLYTIC LACTOBACILLI AND LACTOBACILLUS-PLANTARUM AS POTENTIAL SILAGE INOCULANTS

Two starch-degrading Lactobacillus strains, Lactobacillus amylovorus N RRLB4540 and Lactobacillus amylophilus NCIB11546, were assessed for th eir potential as silage inoculants. Lactobacillus amylovorus was consi dered suitable as a silage inoculant for crops which are low in water- soluble carbohydrate, but contain starch, which is unavailable to most conventional silage inoculants. This was on the basis of it exhibitin g similar growth characteristics to an inoculant strain of Lactobacill us plantarum and secreting an amylase which was optimally active in th e silage pH range. Lactobacillus amylophilus was found to be intoleran t of low acid conditions but displayed considerable potential for the industrial production of lactic acid from inexpensive starch-based sub strates as it fermented sugars to the desirable L(+) isomer of lactic acid only.