Abstract: In order to analyze the effect of soil surface mulching measures and different salinity of irrigation water on soil water salinity distribution and helianthus yield, soil water and salinity distributional characteristics, part of physiologic index and yield of helianthus were studied with different salinity of irrigation water under the conditions of straw mulching and plastic mulching compared with the treatments without ground coverage. The results showed that the measures of straw mulching and plastic mulching could decrease soil evaporation effectively and depress surface salt accumulation degree of helianthus taproot layer regardless with fresh water or saline water for irrigation. Under different ground coverage measure, the change rule of soil average moisture content of helianthus taproot layer with the salinity of irrigation water was different. And the yield of helianthus of the treatment with ground coverage measure was usually larger than that without ground coverage under the same salinity of irrigation water. As a result, it is necessary to take ground coverage measure when irrigating with saline water.