Identification and Evaluation of Drought Tolerance of Major Maize Varieties of Different Eras in China

【Objective】The drought resistance of the major 35 maize varieties that have been planted in large areas in China was identified and analyzed.【Method】 The experiment utilized the split-plot design with water as main plots and variety as subplots,and the whole process was repeated 3 times.Growth period,related agronomic characters and the seed yield per plant were collected to calculate their drought tolerance coefficient and yield tolerance index.After that they were analyzed and evaluated.【Result】The drought resistance coefficient of the seed yield per plant,the ear length,ear diameter,grain number per row and hundred grain weight were significantly and positively correlated,and the correlation coefficients were 0.586,0.522,0.542 and 0.350.The correlated degree of the agronomic characters and yield per plant: ear length kernels per ear ear diameter 100-kernel weight tassel length ear height plant height;Yield drought indexes show that drought tolerance in maize of different times is significant.And drought tolerance has been gradually increased with the time change.The drought tolerance of the year 2000 maize varieties were significantly better than the other's.【Conclusion】Yield drought index combined with the drought tolerance coefficient of the main agronomic traits can be an effective evaluation of maize varieties.The participant varieties of the maize with very strong drought resistance were Xianyu 335 and Shendan 16;those species with rather strong drought resistance were Huang 417,Shendan 7,Yedan 2,Jidan 180,Yedan 13,Nongda 108,Denghai 9 and Ludan 981.