| 摘要 | 第3-6页 |
| Summary | 第6-8页 |
| List of Abbreviations | 第12-13页 |
| Introduction | 第13-17页 |
| Research gap | 第15页 |
| Research Hypothesis | 第15页 |
| General Research Goals and Objectives | 第15页 |
| Specific objectives | 第15-17页 |
| Chapter 1 Literature Review | 第17-31页 |
| 1.1 Importance of maize as grain and forage crop | 第17-18页 |
| 1.2 Factors affecting yield and quality of maize | 第18-24页 |
| 1.3 Factors affecting Carbon emission | 第24-26页 |
| 1.4 Underlying mechanisms for sustainable yield and quality | 第26-31页 |
| Chapter 2 Materials and methods | 第31-45页 |
| 2.1 Site Description | 第31-32页 |
| 2.2 Experimental design and treatment description | 第32-36页 |
| 2.3 Measurements and calculations | 第36-44页 |
| 2.3.1 Soil physical and chemical properties | 第36-38页 |
| 2.3.2 Crop physiological index | 第38-39页 |
| 2.3.3 Crop yield and quality | 第39-41页 |
| 2.3.4 Soil water characteristics | 第41-43页 |
| 2.3.5 Carbon emissions characteristics | 第43-44页 |
| 2.4 Statistical analyses | 第44-45页 |
| Chapter 3 Soil amendment and tillage effects on soil properties and maize physiological index | 第45-72页 |
| 3.1 Introduction | 第45-47页 |
| 3.2 Soil water content as affected by soil amendment and tillage | 第47-51页 |
| 3.2.1 Soil water content under nitrogen rate and time | 第47-48页 |
| 3.2.2 Soil water content under soil amendment | 第48-50页 |
| 3.2.3 Soil water content under tillage practices | 第50-51页 |
| 3.3 Soil physical and chemical properties | 第51-55页 |
| 3.3.1 Soil bulk density under tillage practices | 第51页 |
| 3.3.2 Total porosity and water filled pore space under tillage practices | 第51-52页 |
| 3.3.3 Soil hydraulic conductivity under tillage practices | 第52页 |
| 3.3.4 Soil aggregate and mean weight diameter under tillage practices | 第52-54页 |
| 3.3.5 Soil carbon and nitrogen under tillage practices | 第54-55页 |
| 3.4 Soil amendment and tillage effect on maize physiological index | 第55-72页 |
| 3.4.1 Nitrogen rate and time effect on maize physiological index | 第55-63页 |
| 3.4.2 Soil amendments effect on maize physiological index | 第63-67页 |
| 3.4.3 Tillage practices effect on maize physiological index | 第67-72页 |
| Chapter 4 Soil amendment and tillage effect on maize yield and quality | 第72-100页 |
| 4.1 Introduction | 第72-73页 |
| 4.2 Soil amendment and tillage effect on dry matter accumulation and distribution | 第73-81页 |
| 4.2.1 Dry matter accumulation and distribution under nitrogen rate and time | 第73-77页 |
| 4.2.2 Dry matter accumulation and distribution under soil amendment | 第77-78页 |
| 4.2.3 Dry matter accumulation and distribution under tillage practices | 第78-81页 |
| 4.3 Soil amendment and tillage practices effect on forage and grain yield | 第81-86页 |
| 4.3.1 Forage and grain yield under nitrogen rate and time of application | 第81-84页 |
| 4.3.2 Forage and grain yield under soil amendment | 第84-85页 |
| 4.3.3 Forage and grain yield under tillage practices | 第85-86页 |
| 4.4 Soil amendment and tillage practices effect on water consumption and water use efficiency | 第86-89页 |
| 4.4.1 Water consumption and water use efficiency under nitrogen rate and time | 第86-88页 |
| 4.4.2 Water consumption and water use efficiency under soil amendments | 第88页 |
| 4.4.3 Water consumption and water use efficiency under tillage practices | 第88-89页 |
| 4.5 Soil amendment and tillage effect on grain and forage quality | 第89-100页 |
| 4.5.1 Nitrogen rate and time of application on grain and forage quality | 第89-93页 |
| 4.5.2 Soil amendment on grain and forage quality | 第93-96页 |
| 4.5.3 Tillage practices on grain and forage quality | 第96-100页 |
| Chapter 5 Soil amendment and tillage effect on carbon emission and efficiency | 第100-107页 |
| 5.1 Introduction | 第100-101页 |
| 5.2 Soil amendment and tillage effect on soil respiration | 第101-103页 |
| 5.2.1 Soil respiration under nitrogen rates | 第101-102页 |
| 5.2.2 Soil respiration under soil amendments | 第102-103页 |
| 5.2.3 Soil respiration under tillage practices | 第103页 |
| 5.3 Soil amendment and tillage effect on Carbon emission and efficiency | 第103-107页 |
| 5.3.1 Carbon emission and efficiency under nitrogen rates | 第103-104页 |
| 5.3.2 Carbon emission and efficiency under soil amendments | 第104-105页 |
| 5.3.3 Carbon emission and carbon emission efficiency under tillage practices | 第105-107页 |
| Chapter 6 Relationship between soil properties, photosynthesis, soil respiration, maize yield andquality | 第107-113页 |
| 6.1 Introduction | 第107页 |
| 6.2 Relationship between soil water, crop physiological index and yield | 第107-110页 |
| 6.2.1 Nitrogen rate | 第107-109页 |
| 6.2.2 Soil amendment | 第109页 |
| 6.2.3 Tillage practices | 第109-110页 |
| 6.3 Relationship between soil water, forage yield and quality | 第110-111页 |
| 6.3.1 Nitrogen rate | 第110-111页 |
| 6.3.2 Soil amendment | 第111页 |
| 6.4 Relationship between soil properties, soil respiration and yield | 第111-113页 |
| Chapter 7 Discussion and conclusion | 第113-130页 |
| 7.1 Yield and quality responses to soil amendment and tillage practices | 第113-117页 |
| 7.1.1 Forage and grain yield under soil amendment and tillage practices | 第113-116页 |
| 7.1.2 Forage and grain quality under soil amendment and tillage practices | 第116-117页 |
| 7.2 Soil respiration and carbon emission efficiency responses to soil amendment and tillagepractices | 第117-120页 |
| 7.3 Mechanisms for improved maize yield, quality and carbon emission under soil amendment andtillage practices | 第120-127页 |
| 7.3.1 Soil properties mechanisms | 第120-124页 |
| 7.3.2 Crop physiological mechanisms | 第124-127页 |
| 7.4 Conclusions | 第127-129页 |
| 7.5 Recommendations for future research | 第129-130页 |
| References | 第130-154页 |
| Acknowledgements | 第154-155页 |
| Professor Lingling Li | 第155-156页 |
| Personal Resume | 第156-159页 |
