The C factor is an important artificially controllable factor of soil erosion prediction model. It plays a vital role in reducing soil erosion and controlling water and soil loss. In this paper

the maize

a typical crop on sloping farmland of the Loess Plateau

was studied using an artificial rainfall simulation experiment. Besides

five change features of maize on near-surface conditions in different growth periods were analyzed and the C value was calculated according to the sediment yield of maize in different growth periods. The results showed that vegetation coverage

plant height and crusted thickness increased gradually with the prolongation of maize growth period and that the surface roughness decreased first and then increased with the prolongation of maize growth period. Besides

the se

diment yield decreased gradually with the continuous growth of maize and sediment reduction benefit increased with the extension of maize growth period. Based on the previous C-value model calculated by vegetation coverage

the vegetation coverage was taken as the key factor and the plant height

soil crust and surface roughness as the adjusting factors to build a local C-value model. On the basis of that

a better C-value model for maize slope farmland (model R

2

=0.94

RMSE=0.017

MAE=0.014

NSE=0.992) was obtained. Based on the research results

a C-value calculation formula was established according to change characteristics of near-surface conditions. This helped improve the accuracy of C-value estimation and its applicability to the Loess Plateau

which could provide a scientific basis for improving the accuracy of soil erosion prediction model on the Loess Plateau.