Do schiff bases-based urease inhibitors improve plant growth and affect the activity of soil arginase?

•Three Schiff bases were found to be 31 % more potent than NBPT on soil ureases.•The Schiff bases are not detrimental to the germination and plant development.•Schiff base 4 stimulated carbon allocation from millet roots to shoots.•Schiff base 5 induced the elongation of lettuce roots by 31 % compared to control.•Urea coated with Schiff base 5 yielded 37.5 % more nitrogen in millet shoots.