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In this study, we evaluated the nitrogen (N) mineralization potential and Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) of oil-cake, compost, hairy vetch and barley, which are the most widely used organic amendments in South Korea. The N mineralization potential (No) for organic fertilizers treated soil was highest for the hairy vetch treatment with a value of 18.9 mg N 100 g , followed by oil-cake, barley and compost. The amount of pure N mineralization potentials in hairy vetch, oil-cake, barley and compost treatments were 8.42, 7.62, 3.82 and 3.60 mg N 100 g -1 , respectively. The half-life (t1/2) of organic N in soil amended with oil-cake fertilizer mineralized quickly in 17 days. While, t1/2 values of organic N for the compost and barley treatments accounted to 44.4 and 44.1 days, respectively. Oil-cake was good in supplying nutrients to plants. Compost and barley inhibited plant growth in the beginning growth stage and this is attributed to N immobilization effect. The results of this study highlight that compost and barley could be used as potential slow release fertilizers in conventional agriculture.

Chinese cabbage cultivation and ammonia volatilization experiments were done to evaluate the efficiency of Agrotain coated urea (GSP 80% + Agro; GSP 100% + Agro) against conventional urea (GSP 80%; GSP 100%). Fresh weight of Chinese cabbage were 17.2% and 7.3% higher in the treatments that received GSP 80% + Agro and GSP 100% + Agro, respectively, of those from the treatments that received urea alone. Likewise, the nitrogen use efficiency of Chinese cabbage in the treatments that received Agrotain coated urea were significantly higher at the rate of 3.5% (GSP 80% + Agro) and 1.9% (GSP 100% + Agro) compared to urea alone treatments. Ammonia emission was substantially higher at the rate of 107.6 N mg chamber -1 with the application of only GSP 100%. However, nearly 28.3% of ammonia emission was considerably reduced with the use of Agrotain coated urea. Hence, we recommend the use of Agrotain coated urea in conventional farming for increased crop yield as well as simultaneous reduction of nitrogenous fertilizer use.