Abstract: 【Objective】With study on response and effect of water stress and low nitrogen on maize hybrid varieties, in order to make sure the drought-resistance and barren-tolerance of different hybrid varieties, which can contribute some gist for choosing maize varieties in arid, subarid and barren soil area.【Method】Seventeen maize hybrid varieties cultivated in fields and experimental design of different water stress and low nitrogen, the response and effect of water stress and low nitrogen on growth and development, yield and its components of these varieties were studied. Furthermore, the integrated evaluation for their drought-resistance and barren-tolerance based on adversity resistance index(ARI) of yield and cluster analysis of different maize hybrid varieties choosing eight traits closely correlated to adversity-resistance were carried out.【Results】The results showed that the yield of maize hybrid varieties under water stress and low nitrogen declined obviously comparing with contrast, which mostly were caused by number of grain per spike reduced less, grain weight descended lighter, spike became shorter and smaller, barren ear tip increased more, anthesis and silking interval(ASI) delayed. The response and effect on growth and development, yield and its components in maize of WNT treatment were more than NT treatment and WT treatment. To supply nitrogen under water stress or water under low nitrogen can lead to increase yield obviously, the interaction between water and nitrogen was fearfully significant and certain extent complex, and also correlated to maize varieties. The yield difference between water stress and normal water, low nitrogen and normal nitrogen, or among these varieties were significant at 0.01 level. The correlations between average ARI and yields under stress condition were also significant at 0.01 level, and there were relatively close affinities between adversity resistance index and yield, number of grain per row, 1000-grain weight, barren ear tip, length and diameter of spike, and ASI under different water stress and low nitrogen. Based on comprehensive evaluation and cluster analysis, the drought-resistance and barren-tolerance of Qian 2599, Qianyu 3 and Zhongdan 2 were best, secondly, Xinghuangdan 89-2, Qian 2411, Zunyu 3, Guibi 302 and Guibi 303 also showed better, however, Andan 136, Qianyu 1 and Qianxing 4 were worst.【Conclusion】The response and effect of low nitrogen on maize were more sensitive than which of water stress, and sensitivities of different hybrid varieties to water stress and low nitrogen were obviously different because of the diversity of drought-resistance and barren-tolerance. It is reasonable to evaluate synthetically the adversity-resistance with ARI in maize.

Key words: Maize, Hybrid varieties, Water stress, Low nitrogen condition, Drought-resistance and barrens-tolerance