Estimating genetic distance (GD) among lines of maize and the relationship between GD estimates and hybrid performance might be utilized to categorize inbred lines, create heterotic groups, and predict future hybrid performance. A lab experiment used ten inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR) primers to identify polymorphism in ten inbred lines. In a one-year field trial with a randomized complete blocks design with triplicates, the F₁ diallel crosses were assessed under well-watered and severe stress conditions. Across the ten maize-inbreds, these ten ISSR primers generated 132 amplified fragments, 67 (52.4%) of which, were polymorphic, with an average of 6.7 polymorphic fragments per primer. The range of amplified fragments was eight (ISSR-14) to 19 (ISSR-11). Based on ISSR markers, the genetic similarity coefficients varied from 0.72 (between P₅ and P₆) to 0.88 (between P₇ and P₁₀), with an average of 0.78, among the ten inbreds of maize. Specific bands related to inbred lines of corn were discovered. The findings demonstrated a non-significant and negative correlation between the genetic distance among inbred lines based on ISSR markers and any of the mean performance or specific combining ability of grain yield/fad under severely stressed or well-watered conditions. The findings might assist breeders of maize in a more skillful choose of parental inbred lines to produce hybrids with high mean grain yields.