A meta-analysis was conducted in this study to assess the effect of straw returning (SR) on soil organic carbon (SOC) and to reveal SOC sequestration influencing factors. The results show that compared with the treatment of no straw return, SR can significantly increase SOC content, but the effect is decreased with increasing soil depth and with returning duration (P<0.05), the net annual mean SOC change rates (NAC) are 0.58, 0.19 and 0.09 g/(kg·a) when straw returning duration are 3-5, 6-9 and more than 10 years, respectively. Soil sequestration performs well in topsoil (0-20 cm) under proper N fertilizer input (100-400 kg/hm²), high annual mean temperature (≥13℃) and precipitation (≥800 mm) as well high soil initial C/N ratio, but soil below 20 cm depth is not significantly susceptible to these factors.