Branching is a morphological feature of a crop reflecting the ability of the main stem to form lateral branches. In agronomy, this trait is directly linked to the tillering type and crop structure, as in many species additional shoots can bear reproductive organs, increasing the number of fruits or inflorescences per plant.
The expression of branching depends on the biological characteristics of the variety and its growing conditions, primarily plant population density. At low seeding rates, high branching allows for compensating for the lack of plants by forming additional shoots, whereas in dense stands, excessive branching often leads to the development of unproductive biomass and a reduction in overall yield.
In variety trials, this indicator is evaluated visually or by counting, often expressed as a percentage of plants with branching traits or in scores. The absence of branching is usually an advantage for intensive technologies, ensuring crop uniformity and synchronous ripening, while branching forms are valued for their plasticity at different seeding rates.