Wheat and corn are the main food crops in my country, and they play a pivotal role in agricultural production. For dry and water-deficient areas, irrigation systems for critical periods of irrigation, quota irrigation, or insufficient irrigation can be formulated to achieve the highest increase in output per unit of water or the highest total output value of the irrigation area. Establishing a reasonable irrigation system plays an important role in the sustainable development of wheat and corn production and the improvement of crop water use. The effects of different irrigation systems at home and abroad on the morphological and physiological characteristics, yield and water use efficiency of wheat and corn were reviewed.