Abstract: The influence of the slope protection water-retention measures on maize growth and yields and soil moisture content in the Three Gorges was studied through the field experiments. The results showed that the slope protection water-retention was able to decrease the surface ruoff and increase the soil water reserves during the growing period of maize. The capability of water-retention was by 5.1% of the total precipitation amount,and the water protection increased by 42.2%,while the average moisture content at each soil layer increased by 4.9%,compared with the check. Under the condition of the different grades of the soil fertility,the slope protection water-retention measures enlarged the basal diameter of the maize with 0.2-0.4cm,while the maize height increased by 14.5-49.9cm,the number of leaves increased one and the biggest leaf lengthened by 2.2-8.8cm. The slope protection water-retention had an obvious effect of yields. Under the condition of no fertilizer application,low-heavily fertilizer application,high-heavily fertilizer application and highest-heavily fertilizer application,the maize yield increased by 85.9%,21.4%,10.9% and 5.1% respectively. The slope protection water-retention had not significant impacts on thousand grain weight of the maize,which was related to the capability of fertilizer application.

Key words: Slope protection water-retention, Slope protection water-retention, Soil moisture content, Maize, Three Gorges Region