Multi Omics Analysis Reveals That Compound Radix Pulsatillae and Lactic Acid Bacteria Reprogram the Microbiome...

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Microbiology
• Metabolomics

Background:

• Oat silage fermentation frequently fails due to low lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and water-soluble carbohydrate content.
• Compound Radix Pulsatillae (CRP) is explored as a potential additive to improve silage quality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of CRP alone and in combination with a commercial LAB inoculant on oat silage fermentation.
• To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the improved silage quality using multi-omics approaches.

Main Methods:

• Oat silage was treated with CRP, a commercial LAB inoculant (CRP_LA), or a combination.
• Fermentation quality was assessed, and microbial communities were analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing.
• Metabolomic profiling was performed using UPLC-MS/MS, integrated with Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA).

Main Results:

• Both CRP and CRP_LA treatments increased dry matter and water-soluble carbohydrate content while reducing fiber and ammonia nitrogen.
• CRP_LA significantly improved fermentation quality, indicated by lower pH and higher lactic acid content.
• Multi-omics analysis identified six key metabolites (flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, phenolic acids, nucleotide derivatives) positively correlated with Lactobacillus abundance and silage quality, while inhibiting spoilage bacteria.

Conclusions:

• Co-fermentation of oat silage with CRP and LAB inoculants significantly enhances fermentation quality and nutritional value.
• Specific metabolites identified through integrated multi-omics analysis are potential biomarkers for silage quality and functional additive development.
• Further mechanistic studies are needed to validate the role of these metabolites in silage improvement.