A two-factors split zone design including three types of rape straw returning(straw removal, straw half returning and straw full returning) and three types of nitrogen fertilizer application(reduction 40% of nitrogen fertilizer, reduction 20% of nitrogen fertilizer and conventional nitrogen application) were performed for two consecutive years, 2018 and 2019, in Mutangyuan Township, Taoyuan County, Hunan Province, aiming to investigate the effects of different amount of rape straw returning and nitrogen fertilizer application on the growth and yield formation of summer maize. Results showed that the growth period of maize increased slightly with the enhancement of straw returning and nitrogen fertilizer applied. In the first year of straw returning to field, changes in leaf area index, total above-ground biomass, grain yield and partial factor productivity of nitrogen fertilizer were mainly related to the amount of nitrogen fertilizer applied, and the effect of straw was not obvious. In the second year, most of the indicators of the combination of straw half returning and reduction 20% of nitrogen fertilizer were the best. The leaf area index at the spinning stage, the total above-ground biomass at maturity, and grain actual yield were increased by 18.8%, 8.2%, and 7.6% respectively, compared with the conventional nitrogen application treatments with straw removal. Under the same nitrogen application, the partial productivities of nitrogen fertilizer with straw returning were higher. Rape straw returning and nitrogen fertilizer reduction treatments had little effect on the agronomic characteristics of maize in 2 years, and most of the indicators were not statistically different. It can be concluded that straw returning has a good effect of reducing nitrogen fertilizer using and increasing yield. This discovery can be applied into the rape-summer maize multiple cropping mode in the Dongting Lake area, and the combination of rape straw half returning and reduction 20% of nitrogen fertilizer is appropriate.