Effects and mechanism of Neolamarckia cadamba essential oil on the aerobic stability of whole-plant corn silage

The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism of aerobic decay of whole-plant corn silage and the effect of Neolamarckia cadamba essential oil on aerobic stability of whole-plant corn silage. Firstly, the dynamic changes of temperature, microbial community and metabolite content after aerobic exposure of whole-plant corn silage were determined, and the main microbial species and mechanism leading to aerobic spoilage of whole-plant corn silage were analyzed. The N. cadamba essential oil was extracted from fresh N. cadamba leaves by steam distillation, and the minimal inhibitory concentration, antibacterial stability and bacteriostatic mechanism of N. cadamba essential oil against undesirable microorganisms in whole-plant corn silage were determined. According to the minimum inhibitory concentration of N. cadamba essential oil on undesirable microorganisms in silage, N. cadamba essential oil was added to whole-plant corn silage to explore the effect of N. cadamba essential oil on the aerobic stability of whole-plant corn silage. According to the minimum inhibitory concentration of Neolamarckia cadamba essential oil, the effect of Neolamarckia cadamba essential oil on the aerobic stability of whole corn silage was studied by adding Neolamarckia cadamba essential oil, inoculating Aspergillus flavus spores, adding Neolamarckia cadamba essential oil and inoculating Aspergillus flavus spores, and blank control.