Abstract: Yungeng 37 was used as the research object, and four irrigation modes, namely conventional irrigation (CI), mild alternate wetting and drying (AWD), severe drying-wetting alternation I (WSD-Ⅰ), and severe drying-wetting alternation Ⅱ(WSD-Ⅱ) were set up to analyze the effects of different irrigation modes on the growth, yield and quality of rice. The results showed that compared with CI, AWD increased grain yield by 6.9%, whereas WSD-Ⅰand WSD-Ⅱreduced yields by 1.0% and 4.0%, respectively. AWD decreased amylose content by 0.25 percentage points, while WSD-I and WSD-Ⅱelevated it by 0.60 percentage points. AWD, WSD-Ⅰand WSD-Ⅱ significantly reduced cadmium (Cd) content in grains by 2.70%, 5.41% and 5.41%, respectively, and enhanced calcium (Ca), selenium (Se), and potassium (K) content. Soil temperature under AWD/WSD modes increased by 1~2 ℃ compared to CI, and root surface area, volume under AWD, WSD-Ⅰ and WSD-Ⅱ treatments were significantly increased. Nitrogen balance index, chlorophyll content and anthocyanin index under AWD were higher than those under CI. Additionally, total dry matter weight under CI was 18.03% lower than that under AWD. In conclusion, alternate wetting and drying irrigation mode can effectively promote rice growth, and increase yield and quality of rice in Erhai Lake Basin.