Abstract:YOLO series algorithms, characterized by high inference speed, high detection accuracy, and a highly modular architecture, have become the preferred methods for object detection in smart agriculture. The research progress and application status of YOLO algorithms in the field of crop planting agriculture were systematically reviewsed. Firstly, according to the implementation mode of visual tasks, visual tasks in planting agriculture were classified into three categories: fruit detection tasks, crop condition analysis tasks, and robotic harvesting vision tasks. Based on this classification, a model suitability evaluation framework was constructed to clarify the adaptability and application status of YOLO models in different tasks. Secondly, in response to common challenges in complex agricultural planting scenarios, such as small targets, occlusion, diverse illumination conditions, and limited computing resources, the mainstream improvement strategies for YOLO models were summarized, including model structure and module optimization, as well as the introduction of attention mechanisms. Finally, from the perspectives of key factors dominating visual task performance, the demand for high-quality data, model version selection, and optimization strategies, the application patterns of YOLO series algorithms in planting agriculture were comprehensively analyzed, and the future development trends were discussed from two directions: breakthroughs in perception capability and improvements in generalization ability.