Dendritic　ZnO　nanostructures　were　prepared　through　electrochemical　deposition　on　ITO　substrate　with　the　effect　of　anionic　surfactant　sodium　dodecyl　benzene　sulfonate　(SDBS).　The　morphology　and　structure　characteristics　of　as-prepared　ZnO　nanostructures　at　different　deposition　times,　were　investigated　by　scanning　electron　microscope　(SEM)　and　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　respectively,　and　their　field　emission　properties　were　also　studied.　The　results　show　that　ZnO　branches　were　grown　on　ZnO　trunks,　under　the　effect　of　steric　hindrance　in　surfactant,　and　the　field　emission　property　of　the　dendritic　ZnO　nanostructres　increased　at　first　and　then　decreased　with　the　deposition　time.　The　improvement　of　field　emission　property　mainly　depends　on　the　morphology　and　density　of　branches　on　the　ZnO　trunks.　The　dendritic　ZnO　nanostructures　achieved　the　best　field　emission　performance　when　the　deposition　time　was　90　min,　and　there　were　about　2-10　ZnO　branches　grown　on　each　ZnO　trunk.　Moreover,　the　dendritic　ZnO　nanostructures　exhibited　a　low　turn-on　field　of　1.54　V/μm　and　a　high　field　enhancement　factor　of　59　739.　©　2017,　Editorial　Office　of　Nanotechnology　and　Precision　Engineering.　All　right　reserved.