In order to understand the property of different kinds of water retentive agents and the applied effects so that to use it reasonably on drought resistance and water saving.The paper is to test the capabilities of major four kinds of water retentive agents,including Poly(acrylate sodium),Starch-sodium acrylate graft copolymers,Poly(acrylate sodium)/attapulgite,Poly(acrylic acid-potassium acrylate)/humic-acid.It was analyzed the absorbency,swelling rate,anti-ionic property,pH,frequent absorbency and so on.The results showed that the capabilities of four different kinds of water retentive agents is very different and the best one of them is Poly(acrylate sodium) that recapitulate swelling rate is decreased fast in re-absorbent swelling;Starch-sodium acrylate graft copolymers has lose the capacity of water swelling in 7th process of water swelling;multi-component water retentive agents,such as Poly(acrylate sodium)/attapulgite and Poly(acrylic acid-potassium acrylate)/humic-acid have a special characteristic on anti-ion with bivalent(Ca2 ,Mg2 ) and anti-ion with three combination(Fe3 ) markedly,respectively,and they all have a good capacity on recapitulate swelling rate.The pot experiments showed that Poly(acrylate sodium)/attapulgite and Poly(acrylic acid-potassium acrylate)/humic-acid,compared to Poly(acrylate sodium)and starch-sodium Acrylate Graft Copolymers as well as mixed use of water retentive agents and mycorrhiza can increase the growth of maize.