【Objective】To provide a scientific basis for high-yield cultivation of spring maize, Zea mays L., in southern hilly red soil.【Method】Film mulching cultivation was coupled with organic fertilizer and increasing K fertilizer, using conventional fertilization and open cultivation as the control. Yield, physiological and biochemical characteristics of spring maize were researched in different cultivation models.【Result】Conventional fertilization+organic fertilizer+K fertilizer+film mulching cultivation(TOK) resulted in the highest yield, increasing 3.4% compared with conventional fertilization+bare land (CK). One hundred-seed weight of TOK increased 14.9%, 15.1% and 20.4% respectively, compared with conventional fertilization+organic fertilizer+film mulching cultivation(TO), conventional fertilization+K fertilizer+bare land(TK) and CK. Each drought index showed TOK>TO>TK>CK. The net photosynthetic rate(Pn) in each growth stage showed TOK>TO>TK>CK. There was a maxmum change range of Pn among all treatments in maturity,which was 43.62%.【Conclusion】TOK is one of the better cultivation models for spring maize in hilly red soil upland of southern China, which can achieve high yield by increasing Pn and drought resistance.