Ensiling pruned branch from tea plants: Fermentation characteristics and bacterial community

To investigate new disposal methods for agricultural waste from tea plantations, we studied the dynamics of chemical composition and microbial populations of tea tree pruning waste during 60 days' ensiling. The results showed that the pH value decreased drastically at the initial stage, and then stabilized after day 21 (approximately 3.9). After 60 days of silage, the content of lactic and acetic acid increased, while at the same time the characteristic components of tea were well preserved, including caffeine, polyphenols, theanine, and catechins. Moreover, the microbiological analysis showed a low diversity of bacterial communities in the silage, with Lactobacillus increasing rapidly from day 3 (73.2%) and remaining the dominant genus of silage microorganisms thereafter (93.6%-98.6). In addition, the dynamics of the microbial community in silage were related to its chemical composition and fermentation metabolites. In summary, silage can be an effective means of treating and utilizing agricultural waste from tea tree pruning.