Rice is one of the most important food crops in China, producing about 200 million tons of straw each year. Returning straw to the field as an agricultural management measure can improve the efficiency of straw resource utilization, effectively. However, during the process of rice production, long-term flooding irrigation causes anaerobic reducibility conditions in the soil, which is not conducive to straw decomposition and affects rice growth.Here, we summarize the effects of water regulation under straw return on rice growth and development, yield formation as well as field ecosystem, and discuss the necessity of studies at this stage and future research directions, aiming to provide a theoretical basis and practical basis for efficient straw return and rice field water management.