A greenhouse experiment was carried out to assess the reaction of five maize (
Zea mays
L.) genotypes under drought stress. Seeds were planted in petri dishes. The research was established in a completely random design with five replications. Plants were harvested 15 days after sowing, and leaf area per plant (LA), longest root length (LRL), plant height (PH), root fresh weight (RFW), root dry weight (RDW), shoot dry weight (SDW), RDW/SDW ratio, and total dry matter (TDM) were determined. Significant varietal differences for all characters were found (p ≤ 0.05). The data obtained allowed to identify SC 500 as a suitable genotype at low water supply. On the other hand, root dry weight was recognized as the best indicator and easiest typical to determine the drought- tolerance of maize.