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• Water conservation is the best way to increase water management efficiency in agriculture and reduce potential negative environmental impacts. • Residue improves soil tilth and adds organic matter to the soil as it decomposes. • Crop residue can reduce the rate of water evaporation and runoff, increase penetration of water and therefore improve soil water conservation. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) residues and water management are major problems in southern part of Iran where irrigated wheat-corn (Zea mays L.)-wheat rotation is a common practice. A 2-year (2015–2016) field experiment was conducted as a split plot design with four replications to determine the influence of different irrigation regimes (50, 70, and 100% of water requirement) and wheat residue rates (0, 25, and 50%) incorporation into the soil on sweet corn (Zea mays L V. Saccharata) growth, grain yield, and some soil properties at School of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. The results showed that the highest plant height (187.12 cm) and leaf area index (3.49) were obtained when the crop was normally irrigated (100% of water requirement) and sown into the 25% incorporated wheat residues. Furthermore, canned yield (68%) and water use efficiency (WUE) increased with normal irrigation and 25% residue incorporation compared to the 50% wheat residue rate. The highest grain protein (14.67%) was achieved under incorporation of either 25 or 50% wheat residue into the soil, while the highest grain sugar (2643.5 mg g−1) was obtained when the crop was moderately irrigated (70% of water requirement) with 25% residue incorporation into the soil. The highest soil nitrogen (N) and soil organic carbon (SOC) were achieved with normal irrigation and 50% residue incorporation in both years.In general, adopting an adequate rate of wheat residue (between 25%–50%) accompanied by decreasing irrigation volume to 70% water requirement of corn is recommended in semi-arid agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]