【Objective】 To clarify the influence of controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer on the agronomic characteristics and yield of Panicum miliaceum L. in the hilly areas of the Loess Plateau.【Methods】 A randomized block trial design was used to analyze no fertilizer(T0),urea(TN),controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer[T1(N 120 kg/hm²),T2(N 108 kg/hm²),T3(N 96 kg/hm²),T4(N 84 kg/hm²),T5(N 72 kg/hm²)]on the effect of plant height, stem thickness, leaf area per plant and yield of Panicum miliaceum L..【Results】 Compared with the TN treatment,T1 treatment increased the plant height, stem thickness and leaf area per plant in the late growth stage. With the reduction of controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer, the plant height, stem thickness and leaf area per plant of Panicum miliaceum L. all decreased trend. The yield of Panicum miliaceum L. was extremely significantly correlated with leaf area per plant, and significantly correlated with plant height and stem thickness. Fertilization could significantly increase the yield of Panicum miliaceum L.,which increased by 30.31%-42.92% compared with T0 treatment in two years; with the reduction of controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer, the yield of Panicum miliaceum L. showed a downward trend. 【Conclusion】 One-time basal application of controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer with pure nitrogen of 120 kg/hm2 was beneficial to the improvement of agronomic characteristics and yield of Panicum miliaceum L.,and could be used as a feasible controlled-release nitrogen fertilizer application rate for Panicum miliaceum L. planting in the hilly areas of the Loess Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]