A set of 20 hybrids and their 32 parental inbred lines that were widely used for Chinese maize production since the 1960's was selected and planted in Beijing and Dezhou. Five maize ear characteristics including volumeweight,hundred-grain weight,ear length,ear diameter and ear rows were studied. Analyses of variance were done for ear characteristics of inbred lines and hybrids respectively. Genetic variance components and heritability were dissected by using the genetic model of additive-dominance and their...