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Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is a key rate-limiting enzyme in the tricarboxylic acid cycle and acts in glutamine synthesis. IDH also participates in plant growth and development and in response to abiotic stresses. We identified 11 maize <i>IDH</i> genes (<i>ZmIDH</i>) and classified these genes into <i>ZmNAD-IDH</i> and <i>ZmNADP-IDH</i> groups based on their different coenzymes (NAD⁺ or NADP⁺). The <i>ZmNAD-IDH</i> group was further divided into two subgroups according to their catalytic and non-catalytic subunits, as in <i>Arabidopsis</i>. The <i>ZmIDHs</i> significantly differed in physicochemical properties, gene structure, conserved motifs, and protein tertiary structure. Promoter prediction analysis revealed that the promoters of these <i>ZmIDHs</i> contain cis-acting elements associated with light response, abscisic acid, phytohormones, and abiotic stresses. <i>ZmIDH</i> is predicted to interact with proteins involved in development and stress resistance. Expression analysis of public data revealed that most <i>ZmIDHs</i> are specifically expressed in anthers. Different types of <i>ZmIDHs</i> responded to abiotic stresses with different expression patterns, but all exhibited responses to abiotic stresses to some extent. In addition, analysis of the public sequence from transcription data in an association panel suggested that natural variation in <i>ZmIDH1.4</i> will be associated with drought tolerance in maize. These results suggested that <i>ZmIDHs</i> respond differently and/or redundantly to abiotic stresses during plant growth and development, and this analysis provides a foundation to understand how <i>ZmIDHs</i> respond to drought stress in maize.