Abstract:With the aim to explore effect of super absorbent polymers (SAP) on sandy soil moisture and fertilizer conservation and maize yield under straw returning condition in Yellow River pumping irrigation area of Yanhuanding, Ningxia, a three-year field study was conducted to investigate effects of different rates (30kg/hm2, 60kg/hm2, 90kg/hm2, and 120kg/hm2) of SAP under straw returning condition on sandy soil bulk density, water storage, nutrient, maize growth, yield, water use efficiency and economic benefit, and the treatment without SAP was used as the control. The results showed that the soil bulk density of different SAP rates in the 0~40cm soil layer was decreased compared with the control, while the total soil porosity was greatly improved, and the effects of SAP with 90kg/hm2 and 120kg/hm2 treatments were the best. The soil water storage capacity at 0~100cm soil layer under SAP with 60kg/hm2, 90kg/hm2 and 120kg/hm2 was better than that of other treatment in the whole growing season of maize. The mean soil water storage capacity of SAP with 60kg/hm2, 90kg/hm2 and 120kg/hm2 was increased by 18.3%, 21.6%, and 23.5% compared with the control, respectively. The application of SAP with 60kg/hm2 and 90kg/hm2 obviously increased the soil organic matter, available P and available K contents in 0~40cm soil layer, resulting in the best results compared with the control. The application of SAP significantly increased the maize plant height, stem diameter, and above-ground biomass, especially the application of 60kg/hm2 and 90kg/hm2 of SAP was the most significant. The mean maize yield, water use efficiency and net income with 60kg/hm2 of SAP was the best among the treatments, which were 30.4%, 26.0%, and 20.7% higher than that of the control. Therefore, the application of SAP with 60kg/hm2 under straw returning condition could effectively improve sandy soil physic-chemical properties, promote the growth, and bring an increase in maize yield and income of farmers. The research results could be recommended to apply in maize field in the Yellow River pumping irrigation areas of Yanhuanding, Ningxia.