This study was conducted to investigate the growth characteristics of the shoot and roots and to analyse the morphological characteristics of roots of waterlogging resistant and susceptible maize inbred lines. Six maize inbred lines were treated with waterlogging for 10 days at V3, and the degree of leaf senescence was evaluated for waterlogging resistance. As a result of waterlogging resistance evaluation, KS85 was the most damaged inbred line with 3.33 senescence leaves and 5.54 degree, and KS141 was the least damaged inbred line with 1.33 senescence leaves and 3 degree. At 20 days after treatment, the effect of waterlogging stress on the shoot dry matter accumulation of KS85 and KS141 were decreased by 86.1% and 77.0%, respectively, compared to the control. Similarly, root dry matter accumulation of KS85 and KS141 were decreased by 77.6% and 65.0%. As a result of SEM photographs of the nodal roots of the two maize inbred lines, the thickness of cortex of KS141 was thicker than that of KS85, and the distortion of the cortex was observed in KS85 at 20 days after waterlogging. It was concluded that the thickness of cortex was related to maize waterlogging resistance.