To solve the problems of excessive nitrogen fertilizer input caused soil fertility reduction and low nitrogen use efficiency in Hetao plain irrigated area of Inner Mongolia，the split zone experiment was carried out，with straw treatment in the main plot and 5 nitrogen application levels as sub-plot [normal nitrogen application with nitrogen 300 kg/hm²(N300)，nitrogen reduced 15%(N255)，nitrogen reduced 30%(N210)，nitrogen reduced 45%(N165)，and no nitrogen application(N0)].The changes of yield，nitrogen use efficiency and soil physical properties of spring maize were studied in order to provide basis for improving nitrogen efficiency of spring maize and enhancing soil fertility in Hetao plain.The results showed that straw returning combined with nitrogen fertilizer significantly reduced soil bulk density，compactness，and improved water storage，among which N255 treatment were the best.Compared with no straw returning treatments，soil moisture content increased by 22.77%，bulk density decreased by 4.06%～4.33%，the soil three-phase ratio of deviation value decreased by 32.68%.After two years of straw returning，the yield increased by 4.87%～7.25% compared with no straw returning treatments.After two years of straw returning(2020)，the yield of N255 treatment reached 14.16 kg/hm²，which was not significantly different from that of N300 treatment.Compared with no straw returning，straw returning combined with nitrogen fertilizer increased nitrogen fertilizer agronomy use efficiency and nitrogen partial factor productivity，in which N255 treatment had the largest increase of 12.82% and 7.25%，respectively，while N300 treatment had the smallest increase. In conclusion，in Hetao plain irrigated area，straw returning combined with 255 kg/hm² nitrogen is the most suitable，which not only reduces soil bulk density，compactness，improves soil water storage capacity，but also improves maize yield and nitrogen use efficiency.With the increase of straw returning time，the effect of increasing production increased gradually.