| The fourteen traits of four widely extended maize hybrids that related to drought tolerance were investigated in four different drought treatments under the field conditions in the arid regions, and the agronomic and yield traits significantly differing from each other were chosen for the factor analysis. The results of the analysis indicated that the traits affecting the drought tolerance and the drought tolerance stability of maize hybrids were plant height, seed-setting length, ear-setting percentage and seed-setting percentage, and could be used in predicting the drought tolerance of maize hybrids under different drought conditions in different years. |