A population with 237 F2∶3 families from the crossing of Zong 3×HB 522 was phenotypically evaluated at two locations to assay the genetic characteristics of six grain yield-related traits of maize(Zea mays L.).Results showed that the kernel row number and the ear diameter had higher broad-sense heritability(H2b),followed by kernels per row,kernel weight per ear,ear weight and ear length.The descending order of mid-parent heterosis of six traits and the over-parent heterosis in F1 generation was the kernel w...