During 2001-03 in Teleorman, 14 Romanian maize hybrids (Campion, Rapsodia, Danubiu, Paltin, Olt, F. 376, Faur, Partizan, Octavian, Granit, F. 322, Milcov, Orizont and Vultur) were studied under different situations, such as irrigation and dryland, and under 3 types of drought during the maize vegetation: drought in the second part of summer (2001), drought in the first part of summer (2002), and long lasting drought (2003). Paltin, Campion, Rapsodia, Danubiu, Faur and Olt had a good behaviour under irrigated or dryland conditions, but Partizan, Orizont, Vultur, Octavian and Granit proved to be sensitive to drought. During dry years, the flowering delay (days) and the frequency of sterile plants had determined significant diminution of maize yield. The effects of drought on maize yield differed, depending on its type, intensity and way of action, under different stages of growth and development of the plants. Long lasting and pronounced drought over the whole period of maize vegetation resulted in the highest losses in yield (76-77%) compared to partial droughts during the second part of summer (62-65%) or during the first part of vegetation growth (26-30%). To reduce the negative effect of drought on maize, the cultivation of 2-3 hybrids with different earliness is recommended, which ensures a more efficient use of the distribution of rainfall during the maize vegetation as well as a reduced variation of harvest.
