Lactic acid bacteria in ensiled high-moisture corn grain: Physiological and genetic characterization

Of 335 lactic acid bacteria, isolated from high-moisture corn grain, 212 were checked for their physiological characteristics and 59 representative strains were chosen for DNA-DNA hybridization. All the homofermentative lactobacilli tested were highly related to the type strain of Lactobacillus plantarum. The pediococci isolated were allotted to Pediococcus pentosaceus. Of the heterofermentative lactic acid bacteria the cocci were classified as Leuconostoc paramesenteroides, the lactobacilli as Lactobacillus brevis. The presence of plasmids was demonstrated in all the species studied