Aquaporins are channel proteins facilitating the movement of water and other small solutes across biological membranes. They are involved in multiple cellular and physiological processes and play indisputable roles in the adaptation to the environment. While the dynamics of aquaporin genes expression profiles over daytime, organs, development stages and in response to environmental cues, has been extensively reported, descriptions of some precise molecular components of this regulation are scarce.Measurements of gene expression of five plasma membrane aquaporins (PIPgenes) in maize leaves (elongation and mature zones) across a 252-hybrid panel (DROPS panel) by RT-qPCR revealed the existing diversity and pointed at different profiles of variability thatimply different effects of selection over time on different aquaporin isoforms. GWAS and covariate GWAS allowed mapping numerous eQTLs, both local and distant. The implementation of a double fluorescent promoter activity reporter assay, transformed by biolistic into entire maize plants, allowed the evaluation of bothcisandtrans-acting regulatory candidates. Among them, a MITE-containing indel within aPIPgene promoter region, and a distant NAC transcription factor, were successfully identified as actors of thePIPgene regulation. Further steps should be directed to reveal the physiological relevance of such regulations.