Abstract: The nitrogen fertilizer consumption in China is large, but the utilization rate is low due to serious nitrogen losses. Denitrification is the main path of nitrogen loss, accounting for more than 50% of the total N loss each year. Effective regulation of soil denitrification process is of great significance for reducing nitrogen loss in agricultural production and the induced ecosystem risks. Biodenitrification inhibitors (BDIs) are the secondary metabolites secreted by plants, which have been proved of promotion in soil N storage and crop yield, and are promising to be an efficient and green nitrogen fertilizer efficiency agent. In this paper, the discovery of BDIs was reviewed, and the main research progress on the mechanism of denitrification inhibition of BDIs was systematically summarized. The future researches are prospected, hopefully to serve as a reference for the development of BDIs technologies and products, and find an alternative way for green and healthy development of modern agriculture.