EFFECTS OF COMPENSATION PRACTICES ON ACADEMIC STAFF’S JOB PERFORMANCE IN FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE, ABEOKUTA, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

The study examined the effect of compensation practices on academic staff’s job performance in Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria. Multi stage sampling technique was used to purposively select 3 Agricultural base colleges followed by proportionate stratified sampling technique where respondents were randomly selected. One hundred and three (103) respondents from the three colleges of agriculture of the university were selected of which 92 questionnaires were retrieved. Data obtained was analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics such as mean, standard deviation, chi-square and Pearson Product Moment Correlation. Finding revealed that the mean age of the respondents was 42.71 years, 71.7% of the respondents were male, 81.5% of them were married and 79.3% of the respondents were PhD holders. The mean years of experience was 10 years while their mean income was ₦217447.29. Most (79.4%) academic staff perceived that there is a pressing need to review and rationalize the pay structure to improve employee efficiency, some of the compensation packages available were; retirement benefit (100%), study leave (91.3%), career development opportunity (82.6%). The major constraints to compensation strategies identified were poor insurance scheme (21.7%), inadequate welfare package (20.7%) and poor communication network (19.6%). Furthermore, a significant relationship existed between respondents’ age (r= -0.204, P<0.05), compensation packages (r= 0.26, P<0.05) and their job performance. The results concluded that academic staff perceived a pressing need to review the compensation packages by involving them in the compensation decision making process. Effective management and implementation of compensation packages is highly recommended. , , Job Performanc

PERCEIVED EFFECT OF EMPLOYEES PARTICIPATION IN ORGANIZATIONAL DECISION MAKING ON JOB SATISFACTION IN NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR HORTICULTURAL RESEARCH AND TRAINING, OYO STATE NIGERIA

The study was conducted to investigate the perceived effect of employees’ participation in organisational decision making on the job satisfaction in National Institute for Horticultural Research and Training, Oyo State, Nigeria. Structured questionnaire were used to collect data from 82 employees using simple random sampling technique. Data were analysed using both descriptive and inferential statistics. The results showed that majority of the employees (51.9%) were female and belong to the age range of 30-40years, with a mean age of 38.3years. Thisis a reflection of gender imbalance of the employees in the organisation. Furthermore 49.1% of the respondents’ were married, while 86.4% of them obtained tertiary education. Moreover the monthly average salary of the respondents was about N100, 000.00.The aggregate mean score for level of participation in decision making was 36.21, while the grand mean was 4.02. Satisfaction with co-workers relationship with mean value of (= 3.71), unity of command amongst the employees with mean value of (=3.63), and satisfaction of the structure in the organisation had greater effect on the employees level of job satisfaction as indicated in the perception of employees rating means scores. Result also shows that, lack of motivation (62.2%), domination by some group (76.8%), and poor communication (71.9%) were the most severe constraints responsible for poor participation in decision making in the organisation. Chi square and Pearson product moment correlation analysis shows that age (χ2=0.257, p< 0.05), educational level (χ2=0.258, p<0.05), years of experience (r = 0.239, p< 0.05) and monthly salary (r = 0.247, p< 0.05) had significant association with participation in organizational decision making. Also the result of Pearson Product Moment Correlation reveals that there is significant relationship between the respondents’ participation in decision making and job satisfaction (r = 0.652, p< 0.05).The study concludes that the effect of employees’ participation in organisation decision making on job satisfaction was rated above average. It is therefore recommended that employees’ motivation should be adhere to in the organization by involvement of employees’ and participation in decision making.     &nbsp

Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria as an Effective Tool for Sustainable Acid Mine Bioremediation

Mining industries produce vast waste streams that pose severe environmental pollution challenge. Conventional techniques of treatment are usually inefficient and unsustainable. Biological technique employing the use of microorganisms is a competitive alternative to treat mine wastes and recover toxic heavy metals. Microorganisms are used to detoxify, extract or sequester pollutants from mine waste. Sulfate-reducing microorganisms play a vital role in the control and treatment of mine waste, generating alkalinity and neutralizing the acidic waste. The design of engineered sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) consortia will be an effective tool in optimizing degradation of acid mine tailings waste in industrial processes. The understanding of the complex functions of SRB consortia vis-à-vis the metabolic and physiological properties in industrial applications and their roles in interspecies interactions are discussed

Do personality traits assessed on medical school admission predict exit performance?:A UK-wide longitudinal cohort studyA2

We thank the UKCAT Research Group for funding this independent evaluation and thank Rachel Greatrix and Sandra Nicholson of the UKCAT Consortium for their support throughout this project, and their feedback on the draft paper. We also thank Professor Amanda Lee and Ms Katie Wilde for their input into the application for funding, and ongoing support.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Genomic exploration of Bacillus thuringiensis MORWBS1.1 - candidate biocontrol agent,predicts genes for biosynthesis of zwittermicin, 4,5-DOPA dioxygenase extradiol, and quercetin 2,3-dioxygenase

Many strains fromBacillus thuringiensisare known for theirgenomic robustness and antimicrobial potentials. As a result, thequest for their biotechnological applications, especially in theagroindustry (e.g., as biopesticides), has increased over the years.This study documents the genome sequencing and probing of aFusariumantagonist (B.thuringiensisstrain MORWBS1.1) withpossible biopesticidal metabolite producing capacity from SouthAfrica. Based on in vitro evaluation and in silico antiSMASHinvestigation,B.thuringiensisstrain MORWBS1.1 exhibited dis-tinctive genomic properties that could be further exploited for inplanta and food additive production purposes

Impact of Extension Service on Farmers Production Activities in Ogbomoso Agricultural zone of Oyo State, Nigeria.

This study examines the impact of extension sendees onfarmers' production activities with a view to investigating the extension methods used by village extension workers and determine their impacts on farmers' production activities. Multistage sampling technique was used to collect datafrom 60 randomly selectedfarmers while purposively sampling technique was used to collect data from 13 extension workers in Ogbomoso Agricultural zone of Oyo State. Interview schedules and questionnaires were used to collect data from farmers and extension workers, respectively. Data were analyzed with statistical tools such asfrequency counts, percentage andmultiple regression analysis. Thefindings reveal that home andfarm visit method was the most preferred method byfarmers. It also shows that most of thefarmer's recorded increase infarm yield andproductivity with frequent use of the extension methods. The findings also reveal that village extension agents were very small in number. It was concluded that the extension sendee has made positive impact onfarmers' production activities in the study area

Impact of Extension Service on Farmers Production Activities in Ogbomoso Agricultural zone of Oyo State, Nigeria.

This study examines the impact of extension sendees onfarmers' production activities with a view to investigating the extension methods used by village extension workers and determine their impacts on farmers' production activities. Multistage sampling technique was used to collect datafrom 60 randomly selectedfarmers while purposively sampling technique was used to collect data from 13 extension workers in Ogbomoso Agricultural zone of Oyo State. Interview schedules and questionnaires were used to collect data from farmers and extension workers, respectively. Data were analyzed with statistical tools such asfrequency counts, percentage andmultiple regression analysis. Thefindings reveal that home andfarm visit method was the most preferred method byfarmers. It also shows that most of thefarmer's recorded increase infarm yield andproductivity with frequent use of the extension methods. The findings also reveal that village extension agents were very small in number. It was concluded that the extension sendee has made positive impact onfarmers' production activities in the study area

Draft genome sequence of Enterobacter mori AYS9, a potential plant growth-promoting rhizobacterium

Here, we report the draft genome sequence of Enterobacter mori AYS9, a rhizobacterium isolated from the rhizosphere of sorghum plants in South Africa. The genome sequence comprised 4,852,175 bp and exhibited a GC content of 55.5% and 4,567 genes, with 4,453 coding sequences, 3 rRNAs, 64 tRNAs, and 1 CRISPR