. 2022 Nov 7;13:996220. doi: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.996220

TABLE 2.

Effect of graded B levels on microbiological pools of soil organic matter at different crop stages in cauliflower-cowpea-okra cropping system (Pooled data 2015–2017).

B-levels (kg ha^–¹)	Microbial biomass-C (MBC) (μg g^–,1)			Microbial quotient (MBC: SOC)			Microbial biomass-N (MBN) (μg g^–1)			Microbial biomass-P (MBP) (μg g^–1)			Soil respiration (SR) (μg CO₂ day^–1 g^–1 FW)
	Vegetative stage
	Cauliflower	Cowpea	Okra	Cauliflower	Cowpea	Okra	Cauliflower	Cowpea	Okra	Cauliflower	Cowpea	Okra	Cauliflower	Cowpea	Okra
B₀	175.35^c	179.76^d	176.16^c	19.48^c	18.92^bc	19.36^c	41.84^b	48.97^a	52.82^b	4.42d	4.62c	4.57d	6.44^c	6.30^d	6.78^c
B_0.5	189.11^ab	184.36^c	180.91^bc	19.91^b	18.25^bc	19.25^ab	41.99^a	49.21^a	53.17^a	4.86c	4.88bc	4.74c	6.56^bc	6.41^bc	6.91^bc
B_1.0	195.83^ab	191.72^c	186.17^ab	19.78^ab	18.98^b	19.19^ab	42.21^a	49.11^a	53.74^a	4.91bc	4.95b	4.79b	6.62^ab	6.49^bc	6.99^b
B_1.5	200.68^b	208.16^b	191.29^ab	19.87^a	20.41^b	19.32^a	42.89^a	49.98^a	53.93^a	4.96b	5.02ab	4.84b	6.69^ab	6.59^b	7.05^b
B_2.0	205.83^a	214.81^a	195.68^a	20.38^a	20.65^a	19.57^a	43.42^a	51.07^a	54.01^a	5.01a	5.08a	4.92a	6.77^a	6.71^a	7.12^a
Mean	193.36	195.76	186.04	19.88	19.44	19.34	32.47	39.67	43.53	4.83	4.91	4.77	6.62	6.50	6.97

	Reproductive stage in different crops^*
	Cauliflower	Cowpea	Okra	Cauliflower	Cowpea	Okra	Cauliflower	Cowpea	Okra	Cauliflower	Cowpea	Okra	Cauliflower	Cowpea	Okra
	Cis	Fls	Frs	Cis	Fls	Frs	Cis	Fls	Frs	Cis	Fls	Frs	Cis	Fls	Frs

B₀	179.94^d	182.85^d	176.01^d	20.92^bc	19.88^c	19.78^c	50.67^b	58.03^b	54.67^a	4.68d	4.74d	4.65c	6.47^c	7.04^c	6.64^c
B_0.5	191.44^c	194.34^bc	189.27^bc	21.04^bc	20.67^bc	20.57^b	50.94^a	58.44^a	54.73^a	4.87c	4.91c	4.82bc	6.60^bc	7.15^b	6.77^b
B_1.0	194.95^c	199.86^b	194.17^bc	20.52^b	20.82^bc	20.88^ab	51.11^a	58.61^a	54.82^a	4.92b	4.95bc	4.86b	6.68^b	7.23^b	6.85^ab
B_1.5	199.75^b	204.90^b	200.27^b	20.38^b	21.12^b	21.08^ab	51.15^a	58.98^a	54.91^a	4.96b	5.01b	4.90b	6.85^b	7.31^ab	6.94^ab
B_2.0	206.19^a	209.93^a	205.88^a	20.21^a	21.64^a	21.67^a	51.89^a	59.23^a	55.06^a	5.01a	5.06a	4.95a	6.88^a	7.42^a	7.02^a
Mean	194.45	198.38	193.12	20.62	20.83	20.80	51.15	58.66	54.84	4.89	4.93	4.84	6.70	7.23	6.84

	Maturity stage
	Cauliflower	Cowpea	Okra	Cauliflower	Cowpea	Okra	Cauliflower	Cowpea	Okra	Cauliflower	Cowpea	Okra	Cauliflower	Cowpea	Okra

B₀	181.57^d	188.74^d	178.61^c	22.14^c	20.29^bc	19.63^c	43.87^b	57.21^b	55.95^a	4.51c	4.64c	4.48d	6.64^c	6.88^c	6.84^d
B_0.5	192.87^c	195.05^bc	187.20^bc	22.96^b	20.53^b	20.35^ab	44.22^a	57.92^a	56.68^a	4.72bc	4.81b	4.64c	6.77^b	6.99^bc	6.97^c
B_1.0	197.42^bc	201.19^bc	194.71^b	23.23^a	21.18^ab	20.94^b	44.31^a	57.98^a	56.72^a	4.76b	4.85ab	4.68c	6.85^ab	7.07^b	7.05^b
B_1.5	203.56^b	205.96^b	199.70^ab	23.95^a	21.45^ab	21.47^a	44.32^a	58.04^a	56.74^a	4.84ab	4.89a	4.73b	6.94^ab	7.15^b	7.14^b
B_2.0	208.60^a	211.94^a	205.25^a	24.26^a	21.85^a	21.84^a	44.47^a	58.11^a	56.82^a	4.88a	5.94a	4.78a	7.02^a	7.24^a	7.22^a
Mean	196.80	200.58	193.09	23.31	21.06	20.84	44.24	57.85	56.58	4.74	5.03	4.66	6.84	7.07	7.04

*Cis, curd initiation stage in cauliflower; Fls, flowering stage in cowpea; Frs, fruiting stage in okra. The means followed by a different letter are significantly different at p ≤ 0.05 by Duncan’s multiple range test (values are means of 3-replicates).