Abstract: In order to explore the impact of different fertilization methods on the growth of cotton in the Yellow River Delta coastal saline area. The field experiment was conducted to study the effects of three applications of fertilizers (conventional fertilization, conventional fertilization + cotton straw to field, organic-inorganic mixed fertilizers + cotton straw to field) and three level of cotton straw applied amount (10 t/hm2, 15 t/hm2, 20 t/hm2) on agricultural characters, dry matter accumulation, leaf SPAD values and nitrogen utilization efficiency during cotton budding stage in coastal saline-alkali land of the Yellow River Delta. The results showed that the cotton height, branch number and stem dry weight (except for root length) in both treatments of cotton straw to field and organic-inorganic mixed fertilizers + cotton straw to field were increased greatly, compared with conventional fertilization. In additional, the number of cotton bud was inversed in all treatments of cotton straw to field but the 10 t/hm2 cotton straw application treatment. The middle and high cotton straw application (15 t/hm2 and 20 t/hm2) to field in treatments of cotton straw to field and organic-inorganic mixed fertilizers + cotton straw to field increased cotton dry weight and promoted the nitrogen transferring to leaves and buds. The nitrogen utilization efficiency reached to 16.77%-23.39% in treatment of organic-inorganic mixed fertilizers + cotton straw to field, which was significant different to conventional fertilization treatment (P<0.05). The positive correlations of cotton leaf SPAD values and nitrogen content in cotton leaf and nitrogen utilization efficiency were observed in cotton budding stage and the correlation coefficients were 0.6088 and 0.5879, respectively.