| Water shortage is the main factor limiting maize cultivation in arid and semi-arid regions of China, while irrational fertiliser application will cause environmental pollution, low fertiliser utilisation and even maize yield reduction. Water retention agents are believed to improve soil water retention capacity and increase crop water uptake and utilisation. Through a pot experiment, three water-holding agent types [Demi High Absorbent Resin (PAM), polyacrylamide; Walter Multifunctional Drought Tolerant Water Retainer (WT), bump (organic)/Polyacrylic Acid (inorganic) Water Retainer; Haiming High Energy Drought Tolerant Water Retainer (HM), Sodium Polyacrylate type], three water-retaining agent application rates [0‰, 2‰, and 4‰ (as a percentage of the weight of the dry soil)], and three nitrogen fertiliser application rates [0, 0.25, 0.50 (gN/kg of dry soil)] in nine treatments with three replications for each treatment. The effects of water retention agent and N fertiliser on growth physiology, root vigour, nitrogen uptake and water use of maize seedlings were investigated. The results showed that water retainer and nitrogen fertilizer significantly increased seedling maize plant height by 9.30%, leaf area by 14.88%, aboveground dry matter weight by 68.85%, leaf chlorophyll content by 16.26%, root vigour by 103.86%, nitrogen uptake by 86.35%, and water use efficiency by 81.06% (P<0.05). PAM water retainer was more effective in improving maize root vigour and nitrogen uptake, WT water retainer was superior in promoting maize growth and improving water use efficiency, and it was the most effective when water retainer and nitrogen fertiliser were applied at 4‰ and 0.50 gN/kg, respectively. The results of principal component analysis showed that the use of PAM water retainer and the highest scores were obtained when the water retainer and nitrogen fertiliser application rates were 4‰ and 0.50 gN/kg, respectively, which was an effective treatment model for improving maize yield and water and nitrogen use efficiency in the arid and semi-arid regions of Northwest China. |