| To explore suitable irrigation and fertilization modes for summer maize border irrigation in the Yellow River diversion irrigation area of Inner Mongolia, a field experiment was conducted from 2023 to 2024 in the irrigation district on the south bank of the Yellow River. Two fertilization methods-liquid fertilization and broadcast fertilization-were set up, with a focus on analyzing the effects of different fertilization timings under liquid fertigation (full liquid fertilizer application, first-half liquid fertilizer application, and second-half liquid fertilizer application) and broadcast fertilization (traditional fertilization) on soil water-nitrogen distribution, crop growth dynamics, and water-fertilizer use efficiency.The results showed that The soil moisture distribution patterns are consistent across different fertilization modes, while the distribution of nitrate nitrogen showed significant variations. Compared with broadcast fertilization, liquid fertilization resulted in lower variability and higher uniformity in nitrate nitrogen distribution. The coefficient of variation for full liquid fertilizer application ranged from 0.2 to 0.6, whereas broadcast fertilization had a higher coefficient of variation (0.6~0.7). Full liquid fertilizer application achieved the highest uniformity in nitrate nitrogen distribution.Different fertilization methods had minimal effects on maize growth indicators such as plant height and stem diameter but significantly influenced yield-related traits at maturity. Based on fertilizer distribution uniformity and yield-increasing benefits, In 2023 and 2024, the water use efficiency of corn under full liquid application fertilizer reached 2.59 kg·m-3 and 2.71 kg·m-3 respectively, which were the highest among all treatments. Additionally, the partial factor productivity of nitrogen fertilizer was also higher than other treatments, reaching 51.60 kg·kg-1 and 51.40 kg·kg-1 respectively. full liquid fertilizer application demonstrated the highest water-fertilizer use efficiency and was identified as the optimal fertilization timing.Therefore, liquid fertilization can improve the uniformity of nitrate nitrogen distribution, reduce nitrogen leaching, and create a soil water-nitrogen distribution state that facilitates efficient absorption and utilization by the crop root zone, thereby achieving higher yields. The findings provide a scientific basis and theoretical foundation for determining appropriate fertilization timing in the Yellow River diversion irrigation area of Inner Mongolia. |