In order to reveal the effects of biodegradable film mulching cultivation on soil nutrient and nitrogen use efficiency, a two-year field experiment was carried out in 2013 and 2014 to determine and calculate nitrate nitrogen and other nutrient contents in soil, nitrogen contents and yields of summer maize, partial factor productivity (PFP) and nitrogen agronomic efficiency (AE). Four treatments, including flat planting without mulching (CK), flat planting with biodegradable film mulching (M1), ridge-furrow planting with biodegradable film mulching over ridge only (M2) and ridge-furrow planting with biodegradable film mulching over ridges (M3), with three replicates were conducted. The results showed that nutrient content in 0~50 cm soil layer was increased under all mulching treatments compared with that under CK, especially available N, P and K contents were significantly increased. The reduction range of average nitrate nitrogen content in 0~200 cm soil layer reached the maximum at 20~60 d after sowing, and nitrate nitrogen peak value in different soil depths presented gradually downward migration trend with increment of the days after sowing. Summer maize nitrogen accumulation under M1, M2 and M3 were higher than that under CK, and achieved the greatest amount during 20~40 d after sowing. The PFP and AE under the three mulching treatments were significantly higher than that under CK （ P <0.05). The nitrogen use efficiency under M3 was greater than that under M1 and M2 and it was increased by 49.30% and 33.10%, respectively. Overall, it could be concluded that the treatment of ridge-furrow planting with biodegradable film mulching (M3) reached the best effect on promoting nutrient uptake and improving yield of summer maize in drought area.