Maize inbred lines were tested for drought resistance during germination using a solution to mimic water stress. The study found that -0.5 MPa osmotic stress was ideal for evaluating drought resistance in maize at this stage. Different inbred lines showed varying levels of drought resistance, providing valuable resources for breeding drought-resistant maize in China. The weight of 1,000 grains was negatively correlated with germination rate, while the vigor index of drought resistance had a significant negative correlation with grain weight. The germination drought resistance index did not show a significant correlation with grain weight under the same stress conditions.