In dryland agricultural ecosystems, particularly in semi-arid regions, achieving sustainable crop production is crucial. Although no-tillage and mulching are common practices for conserving water and increasing yields, the combined effects of dual-mulching (straw and plastic film) under no-tillage on soil hydrothermal properties, root growth, and yield remain unclear. Based on the long-term field experiment established in the Loess Plateau of China in 2004, this study investigated the effects of conventional tillage (CT), no-tillage (NT), no-tillage with plastic film mulching (NTP), no-tillage with straw mulching (NTS), and no-tillage with dual mulching of straw and plastic film (NTSP) on soil water, temperature, root growth, and maize yield during the 2022-2023 growing season. The results revealed that NTSP significantly increased soil temperature at the 0-15 cm depth during the VE stage, while reducing the average soil temperature at the 0-30 cm depth during the V6-R3 stage (P < 0.05). Compared to CT, NTSP significantly increased soil water content (SWC) and soil water storage (SWS) at various growth stages, thereby promoting increased root density during critical growth stages (P < 0.05). Moreover, NTSP significantly improved grain yield and its components, biomass yield, water use efficiency (WUE), and rainfall use efficiency (RUE). The grain yield of NTSP increased by 17 % and 40 % compared to NTP and NTS (P < 0.05). Correlation analysis indicated a significant negative correlation between soil temperature during the VT-R3 stage and root growth, while SWC at different stages showed a positive correlation with root growth (P < 0.05). SWS had a greater impact on yield than soil temperature, with pre-sowing SWS having the greatest effect on yield. Overall, NTSP improves soil hydrothermal conditions, boosts root growth, and increases yields. It enhances water use efficiency, supports sustainable farming in semi-arid regions, and offers a solution for soil water conservation in dryland agriculture.