Abstract: This study aimed to adopt the concept of 4R nutrient stewardship for growing off-season tomatoes in high tunnels. The tomato crop (Hybrid ‘Sahel’), grown in high tunnels, was applied with NPK fertilizer at the rate of 80:80:90 kg ha-1 (after each 15, 30 and 45 days interval) for four months and its effect on tomato yield and quality parameters was investigated. Application of NPK at 15 day intervals resulted in the highest nutritional quality of fruit (NPK uptake 4.32 kg m-2, total soluble solids 5.6°Brix, total acidity 0.43%, protein content 15.31%, β-carotenes 0.86 mg 100 g-1, total phenolics 2.34 mg 100 g-1, total flavonoids 7.14 mg 100 g−1, antioxidant activity 83.77%) and improved shelf-life (~ 10 days). However, NPK application at 15 day intervals was not economical in terms of total fertilizer cost incurred and subsequent yield obtained. Application of NPK at 30 day intervals was the most economical (value-cost ratio > 9.0 PKR) among all application intervals. This study suggested that implementation of the concept of 4Rs i.e., right source, right rate, right placement and right timing of fertilizer application is an effective tool for the production of high quality off-season tomatoes in high tunnels.

Various cultivation parameters were optimized for the production of extra cellular protease by Brevibacterium linens DSM 20158 grown in solid state fermentation conditions using statistical approach. The cultivation variables were screened by the Plackett-Burman design and four significant variables (soybean meal, wheat bran, (NH4)2SO4 and inoculum size were further optimized via central composite design (CCD) using a response surface methodological approach. Using the optimal factors (soybean meal 12.0g, wheat bran 8.50g, (NH4)2SO4) 0.45g and inoculum size 3.50%), the rate of protease production was found to be twofold higher in the optimized medium as compared to the unoptimized reference medium.

A respiratory complex was isolated from plasma membrane of pathogenic Proteus mirabilis strain ATCC 29245. It was identified as complex II consisting of succinate:quinone oxidoreductase (EC 1.3.5.1) containing single heme b. The complex II was purified by ion-exchange chromatography and gel filtration. The molecular weight of purified complex was 116.5 kDa and it was composed of three subunits with molecular weights of 19 kDa, 29 kDa and 68.5 kDa. The complex II contained 9.5 nmoles of cytochrome b per mg protein. Heme staining indicated that the 19 kDa subunit was cytochrome b. Its reduced form showed absorptions peaks at 557.0, 524.8 and 424.4 nm. The α-band was shifted from 557.0 nm to 556.8 nm in pyridine ferrohemochrome spectrum. The succinate: quinone oxidoreductase activity was found to be high in this microorganism.