Abstract: 【Objective】The North China Plain (NCP) is one of the major winter wheat and maize production areas in China. Spatial variance of soil basic properties is one of the main reasons for the spatial variance in the grain yield. This study was carried out in order to quantify the effects of soil profile basic properties differences on water and nitrogen movement and crop yield in the farmland with the soil type of Alluvial Cambisols, and crop system of winter wheat and maize rotation in the NCP. Results of the study will give some suggestions on promoting grain yield, water and nitrogen use efficiency in NCP. 【Method】Three plots of field in Tai’an, Shandong Province with different soil profile basic properties and yield levels were selected as the three treatments and consistent field management strategies were applied in these fields. The soil profile properties such as soil particle size distribution, saturated hydraulic conductivity (K_s), field water capacity (FC), permanent wilting point (PWP), soil organic carbon (SOC) and soil total nitrogen (TN), soil moisture and nitrate content at the 0-160 cm soil profile, crop growth and grain yield were measured for three years. The water and N movement and balance were simulated using the Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM).【Result】The dynamic of soil moisture, nitrate content, grain yield, aboveground biomass and LAI between Oct 2009 and Sep 2012 was precisely simulated by RZWQM, water and nitrogen balance was got from the model. The effects of basic soil properties on soil water and nitrogen movement, and yield was as follows: The maximum soil available moisture in 0-160 cm depth in the high yield field was 223 mm, which was 28 mm and 56 mm higher than the values in the intermediate yield field and low yield field, respectively. The saturated hydraulic conductivity at the ＞30 cm soil layers in the high yield field was lower than the values in the intermediate yield field and low yield field. These basic property differences resulted in the water loss (runoff + drainage) in the high yield field (150.3 mm) was 5.7 mm and 26.4 mm less than the intermediate yield field and low yield field. Thus less water stress occurred in most of time in the high yield field. The soil organic carbon and C﹕N ratio in the high yield field was higher than intermediate and low yield fields which resulted in higher organic matter mineralization rate (52.0 kg·hm^-2 and 82.6 kg·hm^-2 higher than the values in intermediate yield field and lower yield field). The nitrogen loss (ammonia volatilization + leaching + denitrification) in high yield field was 6.9 kg·hm^-2and 10.9 kg·hm^-2 less than the values in the intermediate yield field and low yield field. Thus less nitrogen stress occurred in most of time in high yield field. The water use efficiency (WUE) in the high yield field was 2.32 kg·m^-3, which was 12.1% and 6.87% higher than the values in the intermediate yield field and low yield field, respectively. That was caused by less nitrogen stress in the high yield field. There was no significant difference in nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in the fields with different basic properties in this study.【Conclusion】The soil basic properties such as higher soil profile available water moisture, superior profile saturated hydraulic conductivity distribution, higher soil organic carbon and lower C﹕N ratio can promote water and nitrogen supply, decrease water and nitrogen loss. The farmland in the crop system of winter wheat and maize rotation in NCP with these soil basic properties suffers less water and nitrogen stress, and thus leading to high yield.

Key words: soil profile basic properties, winter wheat, maize, water and nitrogen movement, Root Zone Water Quality Model