Abstract: In order to understand effect of different furrow irrigation methods on soil water and heat distribution, variation of soil water and heat at different sites (furrow, slope and ridge) in maize field with alternative furrow irrigation (AFI) and conventional furrow irrigation (CFI) was investigated. Results showed that: most of soil water in root zone with AFI moved downward and laterally during an irrigation period. It was conductive to crop roots to uptake soil water. Soil moisture in root zone with AFI was always to maintain a high level to promote soil water to move out the root zone, increasing the probability of deep percolation. Variation of the temperature in the soil profile was caused by furrow irrigation patterns. Low value of soil temperature happened in the zone with high soil moisture. During an irrigation period, soil temperature in root zone with AFI was higher than that with CFI by 0.56-1.78℃, but the soil temperature difference among different sites was lower than that with CFI. During maize growing season, mean soil temperature in root zone with AFI was greater than that with CFI by 0.05-2.16℃, while soil water content in root zone with AFI lower than that with CFI by 3.31%. The relationship between soil temperature and soil moisture could be figured by a quadric equation. When soil moisture X was 37.3%, soil temperature was at its lowest. Therefore, compared with CFI, AFI had important roles to regulate soil moisture and temperature. It was beneficial to high efficiency use of soil moisture in root zone and uniform distribution of soil temperature in root zone.