BRANCHED1 (BRC1) is a core member of the TEOSINTE BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PCF (TCP) transcription factor family and plays an essential role in the regulation of plant branching. It can integrate endogenous hormonal signals, nutrient signals and external environmental cues, and regulate key agronomic traits including plant architecture, biomass and yield by precisely repressing crop branch formation. In recent years, with the rapid development of molecular biology technologies, researchers have carried out in-depth studies on the functional identification, molecular regulatory mechanisms and practical application of the BRC1 gene in diverse crops, and have made a series of breakthrough advances. This paper systematically reviews the basic characteristics, expression patterns and upstream and downstream regulatory networks of BRC1, summarizes the latest research progress of this gene in major grain, oil and economic crops, and discusses the existing limitations in its crop application. Combined with the development trend of intelligent breeding technology, future research directions are prospected. This review provides theoretical references and technical support for implementing molecular breeding and breeding new high-yield and high-quality crop varieties via manipulating the BRC1 gene.