Abstract: The differences on chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, yield and water use efficiency of dryland maize were compared among full plastic film mulching on double ridges and planting in catchment furrows (FFDRF), half plastic film mulching on double ridges and planting in catchment furrows (HFDRF), plastic film mulching on ridge and planting in filmside (FS), and flat planting with no plastic film mulching (NM) under field conditions in dry highland of Loess Plateau in 2007-2012.The results showed that fluorescence yield (F_o), the maximum fluorescence yield (F_m), lightadapted fluorescence yield when PSⅡ reaction centers were totally open (F), lightadapted fluorescence yield when PSⅡ reaction centers closed (F_m′), the maximal photochemical efficiency of PSⅡ(F_v/F_m), the actual photochemical efficiency of PSⅡ in the light (Φ_PSⅡ), the relative electron transport rate (ETR), photochemical quenching (q_P) and nonphotochemical quenching (q_N) in maize leaves of FFDRF were higher than that of control (NM), and the value of 1-q_P was lower than that of control, at 13:00,  chlorophyll fluorescence parameters values of FFDRF was significantly higher than control, which were increased by 5.3%, 568%, 10.7%, 36.3%, 23.6%, 56.7%, 64.4%, 45.5%, 23.6% and -55.6%, respectively, compared with the control. Yield and water use efficiency of FFDRF were the highest in every year no matter dry year, normal year, humid year and hail disaster year. Average yield and water use efficiency of FFDRF were 12650 kg·hm^-2 and 40.4 kg·mm^-1·hm^-2 during 2007-2012, increased by 57.8% and 61.6% compared with the control, respectively, and also significantly higher compared with HFDRF and PS. Therefore, it was concluded that FFDRF had significantly increased the efficiency of light energy conversion and improved the production capacity of dryland maize.