| To investigate the effects of aerated irrigation and fulvic acid application on maize growth and yield under mulched drip irrigation, and to determine the optimal drip irrigation method and fulvic acid application rate for maize in northern Xinjiang, a completely randomized block experiment was conducted. The study included two irrigation methods (A0: non\|aerated drip irrigation, A1: aerated drip irrigation) and four fulvic acid application levels (F0, F1, F2, and F3, corresponding to 0%, 0.25%, 0.50%, and 0.75% of urea weight). The experiment analyzed the response patterns of soil oxygen content, maize growth, yield, and water use efficiency. The results indicated that aerated drip irrigation and fulvic acid application significantly enhanced maize growth (the plant height: A: 5.05%~9.95%, F: 1.87%~7.94%; the stem diameter: A: 14.78%~19.45%, F: 0.16%~6.94%; the leaf aera index: A: 4.42%~18.09%, F: 2.00%~21.34%; the dry matter accumulation of each part: A: 9.84%~30.75%, F: 4.95%~41.30%), yield (A: 21.82%~34.11%; F: 9.57%~35.07%) and water use efficiency (A: 19.39%~36.70%; F: 9.17%~38.65%) by increasing soil oxygen content (A: 18.47%~54.97%; F: 0.47%~32.47%) and the ability of maize to absorb and utilize soil water (at the F2 level, A: -8.85%; at the F3 level, A: -20.58%). Considering the effects of different treatments on maize growth, yield and water use efficiency, the A1F2 treatment with a final plant height (PH) of 258.27 cm, final stem diameter (SD) of 35.47 mm, final leaf area index (LAI) of 5.18 m2·m-2, final above\|ground dry matter accumulation (ADMA) of 504.06 g·plant-1, yield of 17 423.51 kg·hm-2 and water use efficiency of 2.66 kg·m-3 performed optimally among all experimental treatments, which had a PH increase of 1.64%~10.73%, a SD increase of 3.10%~25.10%, a LAI increase of 3.53%~21.46%, an ADMA increase of 7.61%~64.13%, a yield increase of 5.92%~64.54% as well as a water use efficiency increase of 9.02%~65.54% compared to the others. With a comprehensive consideration of the effects of drip irrigation methods and fulvic acid application amount on maize yield and water use efficiency through regression analyses, aerated drip irrigation with fulvic acid application accounts accounting for 0.43%~0.62% of urea weight was recommended in northern Xinjiang. |