In order to solve the problems of water resources shortage, deteriorated cultivated soil and poor yield of sunflower in Minqin Oasis Irrigation Area, five treatments were set up, including no mulching (CK), straw mulching (S) (straw amount was 4, 500 kg/hm2 ), plastic film mulching (F), crushed wheat straw padding and plastic film mulching (SF1) (straw amount was 4, 000 kg/hm2) and crushed wheat straw and plastic film mulching (SF2) (straw amount was 4, 500 kg/hm2). With the general irrigation level adopted by the local farmers (750 m3/hm2) as the irrigation quota, the growth status of sunflower and the changes of soil enzyme activity were studied. The results showed that under SF1 treatment, the soil thermal condition was significantly improved, which was beneficial for water storage in soil and provided more water for the sunflower growth. The seedling rate of SF1 was 12.1 % higher than that of CK (P<0.05), and 9.7 % higher than that of S (P<0.05). The yield of SF1 reached 4, 780.95 kg/hm2, which was 44.7 % higher than CK (P<0.05), 2.8 % higher than SF2 (P>0.05), 7.3 % higher than F (P>0.05) and 34.1 % higher than S (P<0.05). The plant height, stem diameter and leaf area under SF1 treatment were optimal compared with the other treatments, which were significantly different from those of CK and S treatment (P<0.05), so SF1 treatment was more beneficial for the dry matter accumulation. In addition, the soil urease activity and sucrase activity under SF1 were significantly higher than those under CK, S and F treatments and the performance was basically the same during the whole growth period. Therefore, the crushed wheat straw padding and plastic film mulching can solve the problems of low soil temperature, poor water retention rate, low seedling rate and low yield caused by single straw mulching in the Minqin Oasis, and also improve the soil fertility decline caused by long-term single plastic film mulching. So, SF1 treatment is recommended to be the optimal mulching for the Minqin Oasis Irrigation Area in northwest arid region of China.