Abstract: The objective of the experiment was to clarify the effect of drought on the growth and yield of maize at different stage, maize cultivar (‘Xundan 20’) were grew in fields, for water control processing in jointing to heading stage and heading to milk stage. To control soil moisture in the field, respectively is 40% (severe drought) of water holding capacity and 60% (light drought), with natural growth (CK1) for comparison, analysis of the different development stages of different degrees of drought on maize growth and yield influence. The results indicated that, different periods of drought had a negative effect on the growth of maize, for example, shorter plant height and smaller leaf area and reduced dry matter weight. The maize ear length, grain number per ear and 100-kernel weight reduced at different periods of drought. Compared with the CK1, when the maize suffered severe drought from jointing to heading periods, the plant height and leaf area at milk ripe stage decreased by 26.1% and 30.9%, respectively, the ear length, grain number per ear and 100-kernel weight decreased by 27.6%, 46.5% and 8.7%. When the maize suffered severe drought from heading to milk ripe periods, the plant height and leaf area at milk ripe stage decreased by 21.7% and 23.6%, respectively, the ear length, grain number per ear and 100-kernel weight decreased by36.1%, 60.5% and 30.2%. Drought was a key factor that restricted the maize yield. The severe drought from heading to milk ripe stage would seriously decrease the yield of maize.