Abstract:【Objective】To investigate the morphological and physiological responses of Acorus tatarinowii Schott to drought stress and to identify key drought resistance indices.【Method】Five different concentrations (0, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%) were used to simulate drought stress in three-year-old A. tatarinowii. Morphology, leaf relative water content, relative electrolyte leakage, photosynthetic pigment content, soluble protein, soluble sugar, malondialdehyde, proline and superoxide dismutase activity were measured under different drought stress intensities and durations. Key drought-resistance indices were than identified by principal component analysis.【Result】Damage from 10% and 20% PEG-6000 was minor. As drought intensity and duration increased, the general trends were as follows: leaf relative water content (LRWC) decreased, relative electrolyte leakage (REL), malondialdehyde (MDA), soluble sugar (SS), and proline (PRO) increased; superoxide dismustase (SOD) activity first increased and then decreased; and soluble protein (SP) content followed an “up-down-up” pattern. Chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoid contents increased with drought intensity and showed an “N” shaped change with increasing stress duration. Correlation analysis and principal component analysis indicated that SS, PRO, REL, carotenoid (Car), and SOD can serve as key indices for evaluating drought stress in A. tatarinowii.【Conclusion】A. tatarinowii can withstand the damage caused by 10% and 20% PEG-6000 stress and improves its drought adaptability mainly by increasing osmotic regulators, photosynthetic pigments, and antioxidant enzymes.