Field Crop 2025, Vol.8, No.5, 247-257 http://cropscipublisher.com/index.php/fc 247 Feature Review Open Access Effect of Wheat Sowing Density on Seedling Growth and Final Yield Pingping Yang, Xuemei Liu Hier Rice Research Center, Hainan Institute of Tropical Agricultural Resources, Sanya, 572025, Hainan, China Corresponding email: xuemei.liu@hitar.org Field Crop, 2025, Vol.8, No.5 doi: 10.5376/fc.2025.08.0025 Received: 18 Aug., 2025 Accepted: 29 Sep., 2025 Published: 18 Oct., 2025 Copyright © 2025 Yang and Liu, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Yang P.P., and Liu X.M., 2025, Effect of wheat sowing density on seedling growth and final yield, Field Crop, 8(5): 247-257 (doi: 10.5376/fc.2025.08.0025) Abstract Wheat (Triticum aestivum) is one of the most important global staple crops, and optimizing its cultivation practices is essential for ensuring food security and economic efficiency. This study investigates how varying sowing densities influence early seedling development and ultimate yield outcomes in wheat. We examined the biological basis of density effects, including intra-species competition, resource allocation, and hormonal signaling, and evaluated how these factors shape early seedling vigor, tillering capacity, and root expansion. We also assessed how sowing density impacts final yield components, such as spike number, grain weight, and biomass accumulation, in interaction with environmental and management variables like soil fertility, climate, and agronomic practices. A regional case study further highlights practical outcomes of density variation. Finally, we explored advances in precision agriculture technologies-including remote sensing, AI modeling, and variable-rate seeding-for optimizing sowing density. This study concludes that fine-tuning sowing density based on local conditions and technological tools can significantly enhance wheat productivity and sustainability, while also identifying key knowledge gaps requiring further research. Keywords Wheat (Triticum aestivum); Sowing density; Seedling growth; Final yield; Precision agriculture 1 Introduction Wheat is one of the most common staple foods in the world. It provides the main source of calories and protein for many people. Because wheat can adapt to various climates and soils, it has become an important support for global agriculture and food security. Under environmental changes and economic pressures, people have been working hard to improve wheat yield and stress resistance (Chaplygin et al., 2023; Zhang et al., 2023). Seeding density is a very important factor when growing wheat. It affects the growth of seedlings, the appearance of leaf cover, the efficiency of sunlight and nutrient use, and ultimately affects yield and quality. If the density is appropriate, it will not only make the crop grow better, but also improve the microclimate in the field, while reducing seed and management costs while increasing yield (Abati et al., 2018; Chen et al., 2022). However, if the density is not appropriate, it may cause poor seedling emergence, waste of seeds, or reduced yield, which means that we need to accurately adjust the seeding density according to local conditions and varieties (Spink et al., 2000; Marinho et al., 2022). The goal of this study is to summarize the current research results on the effect of seeding density on wheat growth and yield. We will analyze the relationship between different densities and seed vitality, sowing date, variety characteristics, and environmental conditions to see how they affect seedling growth, canopy structure, and yield composition. By collecting data from field experiments and indoor trials, we hope to provide some practical suggestions for optimizing wheat sowing density to help farmers increase yields and obtain better economic benefits. 2 Biological Basis of Sowing Density Effects 2.1 Impact of plant competition on root and shoot development When wheat is planted too densely, the plants compete for sunlight, water, and nutrients. This competition can make each plant smaller, with fewer tillers and branches and fewer roots. Modern varieties that pursue high yields and are not very competitive are particularly susceptible (Zhu et al., 2022). When planted at high density, the roots of the aboveground part will develop poorly, and the ratio of roots to stems will also change. Compared with traditional old varieties, modern wheat varieties use more energy on reproductive structures such as ear formation,
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