The shortage of water resources is becoming one of the most significant factors inhibiting the development of rice production. Developing drought resistance rice varieties can not only save water in a large degree but also increase and stabilize rice yield, and economize energy. Large amount of researches on drought-responsive genes and QTL mapping provide firm foundation for DR breeding of rice. The paper summarized the impacts of drought on rice growth, drought resistance mechanisms of rice and progress on rice breeding of drought resistance etc., and it will provide valuable reference for further studies and breeding. In the future, much more work should be done in practical application of QTLs for MAS drought resistance breeding, exploration and utilization of elite genetic resource from wild germplasm, root system development and producing highly adapted rice varieties with common breeding techniques and modern biological technologies.