Abstract: Abstract: Ridge-furrow irrigation is wildly used in crop production. Few studies focus on the interaction effect of furrow irrigation methods and nitrogen supply method on crops, especially for root distribution. In this study, the coupling effects of different furrow irrigation and nitrogen supply methods on growth and distribution of root and yield for maize were investigated. Ridge-furrow irrigation was conducted in field in 2011 with spring maize of Jinsui4. Three furrow irrigation and N-fertilizer supply methods were designed including alternate, fixed and conventional furrow irrigation, and alternate, fixed and conventional nitrogen supply. Each treatment was replicated three times and the plot was layout by complete randomized design. The root length and weight beneath the plant canopy, south and north of the plant in the soil layers of 0-100 cm were measured at the growth stages of tasseling, filling and maturity with sampling at 20 cm as an interval. Grain yield was also measured at the harvest. The results showed that only root length and the total dry weight of the plant in the south were significantly influenced by nitrogen supply methods. The total root length and root length of the plant in north was influenced by the interaction of irrigation and nitrogen supply methods. The total root length of plants under the alternate furrow irrigation was kept larger in the growth period. Meanwhile, under the alternative furrow irrigation and conventional N-supply, the root length of the plant in north, south and beneath the canopy in the soil layer of 0-100 cm, as well as total root length and total root surface area at the filling stage were larger, thereby resulted in highest yield of 11 524 kg/ hm2. In contrast, total root length as well as yield of fixed furrow irrigation with fixed nitrogen supply was smallest. The root length under the plant in the soil layer of 0-100 cm of the alternate furrow irrigation with alternate nitrogen supply was as large as the alternate furrow irrigation with conventional nitrogen supply. The root length ratio in the soil layer of 0-40 cm to 0-100 cm was larger under different treatments and the largest one was found in the treatment of alternate furrow irrigation combined with conventional nitrogen supply. The results suggested that root growth and distribution are more susceptible to irrigation methods. Regulation for root growth and distribution of maize through different irrigation and nitrogen supply methods should be mainly in the soil layer of 0-40 cm. Yield and root growth of maize can improved by alternate furrow irrigation with conventional nitrogen supply but inhibited by fixed furrow irrigation with fixed nitrogen supply. Alternate furrow irrigation with alternate nitrogen supply is only inferior to alternate furrow irrigation with conventional nitrogen supply in improving the yield and root growth of maize, but superior to the other treatments. Thus, alternate furrow irrigation combined with conventional nitrogen supply is considered an optimum coupling pattern of irrigation and nitrogen supply method under the ridge-furrow irrigation.