Abstract: Water resource deficiency is one of major problems in maize (Zea mays) production in North Plain of China. In this study, five soil water amount treatments (T1: 90%-100%; T2: 80%-90%; T3: 70%-80%; T4: 60%-70%; T5: 50%-60%) were used under rain sheltered pot-cultivated cultivation in 2009 growing seasons. The results showed that, the yield and the dry matter accumulation of were the highest at 80% soil water amount treatments. In this study, three irrigation treatments (W0: rain-fed; W1: soil water amount were 80%; W2: flooding) were used under high yielding cultivation in 2010 growing seasons (with precipitations of 446.2 mm) to reveal the effects of irrigation amount on water consumption characteristics and dry matter accumulations in various organs. The results showed that, the yield of W0, W1, W2 were 9255.85, 9747.29, 9635.72 kg/hm2 respectively, and W1 and W2 were higher than W0. The yield of treatment W1 was the highest. The WUE of treatment W1 was significantly higher than that of W2, 21.47, 19.39 kg/(hm2?mm) respectively. The dry matter accumulation amount of W0, W1, W2 were 310.83, 321.5, 325.59 g/plant respectively. Compared with treatment W1, dry matter accumulation amount of W2 treatment was higher, but the contribution of that to grains was lower. So the grain yield of W1 was higher than that of W2. When the precipitation was 446.2 mm from sowing to maturity, although W0 got the lowest total consumption and the highest WUE, the grain number of ear and grain weight were lower than W1 and W2. We can see that irrigation plays an important role to obtain high grain yield and quality. In this paper, based on comprehensive consideration of grain yield and total consumption, optimal irrigation method was to maintain 80% soil water amount.