In order to screen out nitrification inhibitor with better application effect in rice production, a paddy field plot experiment was conducted in Taihu Lake region. Synthetic nitrification inhibitor 2-chloro-6-(trichloro-methyl) pyridine (CP), 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP), and biological nitrification inhibitor methyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate (MHPP) were added into urea, then the effects of different nitrification inhibitors (NIs) on N₂O emission, NH₃ volatilization, rice yield and nitrogen utilization efficiency in rice season was investigated. The results show that compared with urea alone application, the addition of NIs decrease total N₂O emission but increase total NH₃ volatilization. The inhibitory effects of different NIs on total N₂O emission are DMPP (31.71%)>MHPP (30.40%)>CP (27.83%), but no significant difference is found among different NIs. The promotion effects on total NH₃ volatilization are CP (58.7%)>DMPP (40.3%)>MHPP (25.3%), no significant difference is found among different NIs. The rice yield and apparent N recovery efficiency are increased with NIs, effects of grain yield increase are MHPP (4.9%)>CP (3.3%)>DMPP (1.1%), and enhancement effects of nitrogen are MHPP (15.7%)>CP (13.8%)>DMPP (10.9%), no significant difference is found among different NIs. Comprehensively consider the rice yield and reactive gaseous nitrogen emission which induced by N₂O and NH₃, NIs increase yield-scaled reactive gaseous nitrogen emission, and CP (50.3%) is higher than DMPP (35.0%) and MHPP (17.8%). Overall, our study suggests that MHPP may be a better choice than CP and DMPP which decrease nitrogen loss and increase yield. Furthermore, NH₃ volatilization reduction measures should be combined with NIs to achieve better nitrogen use efficiency and promote the green sustainable development of agriculture.