Field trials were conducted to study different methods of cultivation and fertilization on wheat yieldand water use efficiency in the semi-arid.The results showed that among the four methods applied,pit cultivation with both soil cover and full film mulching benefited substantially the synthesis of carbohydrates ofwheat plants and then increased dry matter accumulation.The application of balanced N,P and K significantly improved the accumulation of dry biomass.Compared furrow cultivation with soil cover and film mulching,pit cultivation with film mulching and open pit cultivation,wheat yield of pit cultivation with both soilcover and full film mulching increased by 4.9%～8.0%,20.4%～22.6%,59.7%～72.8%,respectively,andthe improving effects was particularly prominent in dry years.In this cultivation mode,wheat yields andwater use efficiency were the highest with application of 180,120and 90kg/hm² of the N,P2O5and K2O respectively(Z0F1treatment),which was respective 72.8%and 111.1%higher than those of open pit cultivation.The results showed that balanced fertilization could significantly increase grain yield and water use efficiency in the mode of pit cultivation with both soil cover and full film mulching,and the effects were extremely significant in dry years.