Abstract:In order to explore the effects of groundwater depth and nitrogen reduction on summer maize nitrogen uptake, utilization and yield, based on large lysimeters, the effects of groundwater depth and nitrogen application rate on summer maize nitrogen utilization efficiency, plant nitrogen accumulation, yield and its component factors were studied. Among them, the groundwater depth was set at 3 levels of 2 m (G1), 3 m (G2) and 4 m (G3); the nitrogen application amount was set at 2 levels of conventional nitrogen application (300 kg/hm2, N2), nitrogen reduction treatment by 20% (240 kg/hm2, N1), and no groundwater depth with no nitrogen application (G0N0) as the control group, where a total of 7 treatments were used. The results showed that:(1) Under N1 treatment, the yield of summer maize decreased with the increases of groundwater, the nitrogen harvest index at G1 was significantly higher than that at G2 and G3, with an increase of 5.71% and 7.22% respectively. (2) The nitrogen uptakes of stem and leaf treated with N2 at G1 were significantly higher than those at G2~G3, with the increases of 19.52%~50.31%. But the nitrogen uptake, nitrogen harvest index and grain yield at G1 were significantly lower than those at G2~G3, with the decreases of 17.28%~29.28%. (3) At the depth of G1, the yield, agronomic efficiency, physiological utilization rate, grain N uptake utilization rate of N fertilizer and N harvest index under N1 were significantly higher than those under N2, with the increases between 22.18% and 115.35%. Under the condition of 2 m groundwater depth, the nitrogen application rate of 240 kg/hm2 could be beneficial to improve the yield increasing effect of nitrogen fertilizer, increase the efficiency of nitrogen conversion into yield and dry matter after nitrogen application, enhance the transfer rate of nitrogen to grain and maintain yield not to decrease. So, it was feasible to reduce nitrogen by 20% under this groundwater depth. The results could provide theoretical reference for nitrogen fertilizer control in shallow groundwater area.