Thirty elite maize inbred lines were evaluated for stay-green.The results showed that 4 lines(Shen3195,Shen137,Q319 and 178) had good stay-green trait,and others had normal or bad stay-green trait.The cluster analysis by SSR(simple sequence repeat) markers showed that 30 inbred lines could be classified into 6 distinct groups.The 4 stay-green inbred lines were found in 2 sources(B and E),respectively and could be used to improve the bad stay-green lines in the same group.