The relationship between genetic distance and yield heterosis/hybrid yield was investigated in maize. The materials consisted of 13 inbred lines and their 78 single crosses in a diallel mating design, without reciprocals. The results are as follows:1. When the number of characters was 'ess, the relationship between yield heterosis/hybrid yield and genetic distance varied with the kinds of characters; When,-the number of characters was more, the relationship between the two was curvilinear, less influenced by the kinds of characters.2. When the genetic divergence among parents was larger, the r...