Abstract: In order to screen the suitable application depth and application amount of water retaining agent for maize cultivation，with maize as material and the treatment without water retaining agent as control（CK），the effects of water retaining agent application depth［20 cm（D1）and 10 cm（D2）］and application amount［150 kg/ha（T1），210 kg/ha（T2），270 kg/ha（T3）and 330 kg/ha（T4）］on maize growth，photosynthetic characteristics，yield and water use efficiency were studied.The results showed that，for different water retaining agent application depth treatments，the plant height，leaf SPAD value，net photosynthetic rate（Pn），stomatal conductance（Gs），transpiration rate（Tr），ear length，ear diameter，row number per ear，grain number per row，1 000‐grain weight，yield，water use efficiency（WUE）and irrigation water use efficiency（IWUE） of D2 treatment were significantly higher than those of D1 treatment and CK，among which yield，WUE and IWUE increased by 31. 64%，31.20% and 31.58% compared with CK，respectively. Under D1 condition，the plant height，stem diameter，leaf length，leaf width，number of leaves，SPAD value，Pn，Gs，Tr，yield，WUE and IWUE all increased with the increase of application amount of water retaining agent，T4 treatment was the highest，and Ci gradually decreased；Under D2 condition，the plant height，stem diameter，leaf length，leaf width，number of leaves，SPAD value，Pn，Gs，Tr，yield，WUE and IWUE all increased firstly and then decreased with the increase of application amount of water retaining agent，T3 treatment was the highest，and Ci decreased firstly and then increased. For different treatment combinations，D2T3 treatment had the highest Pn，Gs，Tr，yield，WUE，IWUE and the lowest Ci，among which yield，WUE and IWUE significantly increased by 42.37%，41.88% and 42.46% compared with CK，followed by D2T4 treatment. By comprehensive consideration，the suitable application depth of water retaining agent for maize was 10 cm，and the suitable application amount was 270 kg/ha.

Key words: Maize, Water retaining agent, Application depth, Application amount, Photosynthetic characteristics, yield, Water use efficiency

摘要： 为筛选适宜玉米种植的保水剂施用深度和施用量，以玉米为试材，以不施用保水剂处理为对照（CK），研究保水剂施用深度［20 cm（D1）、10 cm（D2）］和施用量［150 kg/hm²（T1）、210 kg/hm²（T2）、270 kg/hm²（T3）、330 kg/hm²（T4）］对玉米生长发育、光合特性、产量和水分利用效率的影响。结果表明，对于不同保水剂施用深度处理，D2处理玉米株高、叶片SPAD值、净光合速率（Pn）、气孔导度（Gs）、蒸腾速率（Tr）、穗长、穗粗、穗行数、行粒数、千粒质量、产量、水分利用效率（WUE）、灌溉水利用效率（IWUE）均显著高于D1处理和CK，其中，产量、WUE、IWUE分别较CK提高31.64%、31.20%、31.58%。D1条件下，玉米株高、茎粗、叶长、叶宽、叶片数、SPAD值、Pn、Gs、Tr、产量、WUE、IWUE均随保水剂施用量增加而增加，以T4处理最高，Ci逐渐降低；D2条件下，玉米株高、茎粗、叶长、叶宽、叶片数、SPAD值、Pn、Gs、Tr、产量、WUE、IWUE均随保水剂施用量增加先增加后降低，以T3处理最高，Ci先降低后增加。对于不同处理组合，D2T3 处理叶片Pn、Gs、Tr 均最高，Ci 最低，产量、WUE、IWUE 均最高，分别较CK 显著提高
42.37%、41.88%、42.46%，D2T4处理次之。综合分析，玉米适宜的保水剂施用深度为10 cm，施用量为270 kg/hm²。

关键词: 玉米, 保水剂, 施用深度, 施用量, 光合特性, 产量, 水分利用效率