Nitrogen fertilizer application plays an important role in ensuring food security in China,but excessive application of nitrogen fertilizer not only reduces the nitrogen utilization efficiency (NUE),but also results in a series of environmental pollution problems. Synergistic increase of yield and NUE is an important challenge in rice production in China since the 21st century,and it is currently a hot spot in studying the cultivation,physiology and breeding of rice as well. This article introduced the basic principles and fertilization techniques of typical nitrogen fertilizer management strategies at home and abroad. The agronomic traits related to nitrogen efficiency of rice varieties with high NUE,especially the green super rice,were summarized. The physiological and molecular mechanisms of high-efficiency absorption and utilization of nitrogen by rice,especially the effects of nitrogen on leaf structure/photosynthetic physiology and the important genes regulating NUE discovered recently were reviewed.