Maize-soybean relay-cropping system is an important planting pattern in southwest China, in which the proper nitrogen management plays a key role for improving maize production. A field experiment was conducted in two consecutive seasons(2010–2011) with different treatments of nitrogen(N) application rates(90, 180, 270, 360 kg ha–1) and ratios of base fertilizer, jointing fertilizer and earing fertilizer(5:0:5, 3:2:5, 5:2:3) to study the effects of nitrogen management on yield and dry matter accumulation and translocation of maize in maize-soybean relay-cropping system. The results showed that, maize yield and dry matter accumulation increased with increasing N application rates up to 270 kg N ha–1 under the same ratio of base fertilizer to topdressing, and then decreased when N application rate was 360 kg N ha–1. The N application rate of 180 kg ha–1 significantly increased kernels per ear, 1000-kernel weigh, ear number, and help increase translocation efficiency, post anthesis assimilation, plant dry matter accumulation, and the maximum increasing rate, while the N application rate of 360 kg ha–1 had negative effect. The effects of different ratios of base fertilizer to topdressing on maize yield and dry matter accumulation were 3:2:55:0:55:2:3, postponed N application(B2, 3:2:5) was beneficial to improve dry matter accumulation and translocation to grain, increased the maximum increasing rate and improved ear traits. Compared with conventional ratio of base fertilizer to topdressing(B1, 5:0:5), B2 treatment(3:2:5) had a higher yield 0f 4.11% than B1(5:0:5) on average of two years. The interaction between N application rates and ratios of base fertilizer to topdressing was significant on maize yield, N application rates of 270 kg ha–1 and the ratio of 3:2:5 reached to the highest yield in 2010 year. No significant difference between 180 and 270 kg N ha–1 with the same ratio of base fertilizer to topdressing(3:2:5) in maize yield was found. In 2011, the yield under N application rate at180 kg ha–1 and ratio of 3:2:5 treatment was significantly higher than that under other nitrogen management. Therefore, the most appropriate nitrogen management is N application rate of 180 kg ha–1 and ratio of base fertilizer to topdressing 3:2:5.