Green manure has unique advantages in improving soil structure and fertility in saline alkali land，but such research is absent in the Yellow River Delta.To provide references for its rational utilization，through planting experiments and nylon net bag simulated decomposition experiments，the nutrient supply capacity of Vicia villosa as green manure and the decomposition and nutrient release characteristics of the no-till mulching and rolling back methods were investigated.The results showed that the return of V.villosa to the field in the saline alkali areas of the Yellow River Delta could provide a greater proportion of the nitrogen and potassium nutrients required by the subsequent maize crop，but less of the phosphorus.Under 2 returning methods，the decomposition and nutrient release rates were both fast in the early stage then significantly decreased in the late stage，and the nutrient accumulation and release rate was potassium>nitrogen>carbon>phosphorus.By 81 d，the decomposition rates of straw mulching treatment and soil coverage treatment were 53.7% and 74.8%，respectively，and the release rates of carbon，nitrogen，phosphorus and potassium were 75.6% ～ 81.0%，77.1% ～ 81.2%， 59.8% ～ 63.2% and 80.1% ～ 93.8%，respectively.Compared with soil coverage treatment，the cumulative decomposition rate and early decomposition rate under straw mulching treatment were significantly higher.The nutrient release levels of the two returning methods were nearly the same，but the rapid release period of each nutrient under soil coverage treatment was shorter than that under straw mulching treatment，indicating its better ability to sustainable nutrient supply.From the perspective of protecting soil moisture and reducing energy consumption，soil coverage returning method has certain advantages，but it may be more affected by later rainfall，wind and other natural conditions，which needs comprehensive consideration and further verification.