[Objective] In order to explore the effects of low nitrogen stress on the growth and soil nutrients of tartary buckwheat in the hilly and gully regions of the Loess Plateau, the present paper determined plants and soil characteristics of tartary buckwheat with different nitrogen stress among the whole growth period It could provide a scientific basis for the optimal management of farmland nitrogen fertilizer in the loess hilly and gully region. [Method] The study took different nitrogen buckwheat (Heifeng No. 1, HF, intolerant to low nitrogen, Diqing Tartary Buckwheat, D Q, tolerant to low nitrogen) as the research objects, and set 3 levels of nitrogen application as follows : 0 kg/hm² (NO, no nitrogen treatment), 80 kg/hm² (Nl, low-nitrogen treatment), 160 kg/hm² (N², normal nitrogen treatment). Plant indexes (plant height, stem thickness, leaf area) and soil characteristics (soil water content, pH, organic matter, alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, total potassium) were determined during the whole growth periods. [Result] (i) Cultivar, nitrogen treatment and the interaction between the two had extremely significant effects on tartary buckwheat plants (P < 0. 01). Under Nl treatment, the plant height, stem thickness and leaf area of DQ in the seedling stage were 9. 7 %, 10. 5 %, and 17. 7 % higher than that of HF. The plant height and stem thickness of DQ in the flowering stage were 9. 5 % and 7. 4 % higher than that of HF. The stem thickness and leaf area of DQ were 5. 4 % and 3 6. 2 % higher than those of HF. (ii) The cultivars, nitrogen treatments and the interaction between the two had a significant impact on soil nutrients (P < 0. 01). After the growth period, the soil nutrient indexes of the two cultivars were lower than those of the sowing period, but soil organic matter, available nitrogen, available phosphorus, available potassium, total nitrogen, and total potassium of DQ were higher than those of HF under Nl treatment of98. 8%, 11. 6%, 44. 7%, 11. 6%, 80. 41%, 4. 2%, respectively. [Conclusion] The DQ (low nitrogen tolerant) has better water conservation and green manure benefits than HF (intolerant to low nitrogen) as its larger leaf area and stem thickness could buffer the direct erosion of rainfall on the ground and resist wind to prevent plant lodging. In addition, the rhizosphere soil nutrient content of DQ was higher than HF after being harvested which could reduce the fertilizer consumption in the next season and was also more conducive to the sustainable development of agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]