A field experiment, designed to have 6 levels of nitrogen application rates (0, 60, 120, 180, 240 and 300 kg hm^-2), was conducted at Changtu county of Liaoninng province to investigate effects of nitrogen application on spring maize in yield, nitrogen utilization and maize field mineral nitrogen (Nmin) balance. Results show that the yield of spring maize increased significantly with increasing nitrogen application rate, but once the rate exceeded 240 kg N hm^-2, yield of the crop began to show a declining trend. In the current season, N recovery rate (NRR) increased first and then decreased with increasing N application rate, and reached the highest, 27.95％, when 180 kg N hm^-2 was applied. With the nitrogen application rate further rising on agronomic N use efficiency (ANUE), nitrogen uptake efficiency (NUE) and nitrogen partial productivity (NPP) all decreased significantly, however, physiological N use efficiency (PNUE) and nitrogen apparent residual rate (NARR) both first increased and then decreased, which is just contrary to the changes in nitrogen apparent loss rate (NALR). The crop nitrogen uptake increased significantly with increasing nitrogen application rate, and surplus nitrogen remained in the soil mainly in residue form. Though apparent nitrogen loss accounted only for a small proportion of the nitrogen surplus, its increase with increasing nitrogen application rate was significant. Low nitrogen application rate (＜ 180 kg hm^-2) mainly induced significant increase in soil residual Nmin, while high nitrogen application rate (240 kg hm^-2 and 300 kg hm^-2) did in nitrogen apparent loss. Under the experimental conditions, a reasonable nitrogen application rate should be controlled at about N 180 ~ 209 kg hm^-2.