Abstract: 【Objective】Field experiments were conducted to study the influence of density on maize yield (＞15 000 kg?hm-2) and yield components in order to exploring the formation mechanism of high-yield so as to provide a basis for stable high-yield maize.【Method】 The experiments were carried out in high-yield maize areas of Xinjiang and Ningxia regions. Zhengdan 958 (ZD958) was planted at different densities from 15 000 plants/hm2 to 180 000 plants/hm2 by making 15 000 plants/hm2 as a density gradient with fully satisfy fertilizer and water demand. High-yield cultivation was practiced, and then the yield and yield component, characteristics were analyzed based on the high-yield (＞15 000 kg?hm-2) .【Result】The 68 different density level plots were all at mutil-sites across two years, the highest and lowest yields were between 7 675.5 kg?hm-2 and 20 503.5 kg?hm-2, respectively. Yields of the 47 plots achieved the high yield of above 15 000 kg?hm-2. Plots with at the highest and lowest densities (52 500 plants/hm2 and 162 800 plants?hm-2) achieved the high yield of 15 000 plants/hm2. The highest and lowest number of ears was 66 600 ears/hm2 and 138 400 ears/hm2, respectively. The highest and lowest grains per ear were 365 and 657, respectively. The highest and lowest      1 000-seed-weight was 273 g and 404 g, respectively.【Conclusion】The parabolic relationship between density and yield was found, and the highest yield appeared at the density of 105 000 plants/hm2. With the increase of production, the optimal range of planting density, ear number, grains per ear and 1000-seed-weight were narrowed. With the increase of planting density, grains per ear and   1 000-seed-weight declined; ears number and grains/hm2 increased, but grains/hm2 increased slightly when density reached a certain level.

Key words: maize, density, ear numbers, kernels of ear, yield