Dataset of Maize Yield, Soil Moisture, and Nitrate Nitrogen under Nitrogen Fertilizer Management on the Loess Plateau (2017–2020)

Fixed-point field monitoring conducted under different nitrogen application regimes in the rainfed agricultural region of the Loess Plateau systematically recorded the distribution of soil water, the residual nitrate content in the soil profile, and the biomass of spring maize, thereby facilitating the identification of response mechanisms and processes of dryland spring maize systems to nitrogen management.

This effort is crucial for elucidating the response mechanisms and processes of the dryland spring maize system to nitrogen management. This dataset comprises data on soil water content and nitrate nitrogen content across different soil layers, as well as spring maize biomass at harvest, under four nitrogen management patterns: reduced nitrogen application (CK, N1, N2, N3, N4), straw deep incorporation (CON1, CON2, CR1, CR2), nitrification inhibitor application (CRN1, CRN2, CRN3, CRN4), and slow/controlled-release fertilizer application (CRS1, CRS2, CRS3).