Lingli Shen^1,2

1 Tongxiang Hangji Ecological Agriculture Technology Co. Ltd., Tongxiang, 314500, Zhejiang, China
2 Zhejiang Agronomist College, Hangzhou, 310021, Zhejiang, China
Author    Correspondence author
Plant Gene and Trait, 2026, Vol. 17, No. 4   doi: 10.5376/pgt.2026.17.0019
Received: 15 Jul., 2026    Accepted: 19 Aug., 2026    Published: 28 Aug., 2026

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.

Shen L.L., 2026, Effects of planting density on plant architecture, fruit setting and yield performance of tomato, Plant Gene and Trait, 17(4): 264-276 (doi: 10.5376/pgt.2026.17.0019)

Planting density is an important cultivation factor affecting tomato plant architecture, fruit set characteristics, and yield performance. This study analyzed the effects of planting density on tomato population structure, reproductive characteristics, and yield formation. Previous studies showed that planting density regulated tomato canopy development by influencing plant height, internode length, stem diameter, leaf area index, and canopy light distribution. Moderate increases in planting density generally improved light interception per unit area and land-use efficiency, whereas excessive density intensified plant competition, resulting in reduced biomass accumulation per plant, canopy closure, and decreased photosynthetic efficiency. During the reproductive growth stage, an appropriate planting density maintained the balance between vegetative and reproductive growth, maintained favorable fruit set, and enhanced fruit development. However, excessive planting density increased the risk of flower and fruit abortion due to insufficient assimilate supply and negatively affected fruit quality. In terms of yield formation, planting density regulated yield per unit area by balancing individual plant productivity and population productivity. Future tomato density management should integrate cultivar characteristics, environmental conditions, and cultivation practices, and utilize canopy monitoring, modeling prediction, and intelligent regulation technologies to achieve dynamic and precise density management. This study provides a theoretical basis for efficient tomato cultivation, population structure optimization, and precision production in protected agriculture.

Planting density; Tomato; Plant architecture; Fruit set characteristics; Yield formation