Abstract:A field experiment was conducted to study the effects of different fertilizer treatments on soil nutrients, yield, quality and nutrient utilization of muskmelon in the Hetao Irrigation District of Bayannur city, Inner Mongolia. The traditional planting mode of fertilization and irrigation was that after all fertilizers was added and mulched with plastic film, flood irrigation was applied to leach salt, then the seeds were sowed. Six treatments were set up, including CK treatment without any fertilizer (CK), conventional fertilization treatment (CF, N 445.5, P2O5 399, and K2O 54 kg/hm2), reduced and optimized fertilization treatment (RF, N 240, P2O5 150, and K2O 120 kg/hm2), reduced controlled-release fertilization treatment (RSF, controlled-release urea, N 240, P2O5 150, and K2O 120 kg/hm2), reduced and optimized fertilization combined with organic manure treatment (RF+OM, combined with organic manure 15 t/hm2), reduced controlled-release fertilization combined with organic manure treatment (RSF+OM). The results showed that the soil nitrogen content of RSF treatment was higher during the growth period of muskmelon. Treatments added with manure (RF+OM, RSF+OM) maintained the level of soil organic matter, therefore increased soil fertility, as compared with the treatments only added the chemical fertilizers. Compared with no fertilization (CK), the yield of muskmelon in all fertilization treatments increased significantly (P<0.05). The yield of RSF+OM treatment was significantly higher than that of CF treatment; and there were no significant differences between the yield and quality of RF, RSF and RF+OM treatments compared with the CF. Compared with CF treatment, RF and RSF treatments increased the nitrogen use efficiency by 15.1% and 21.5%, respectively. Compared with CF, RF and RSF treatments increased the phosphate use efficiency by 20.4% and 18.8%, respectively. Reducing the application of chemical fertilizer and applying controlled release fertilizer had important ecological and environmental significance for reducing nitrogen loss from muskmelon field in the Hetao Irrigation District into the Wuliangsuhai Lake.