The influence of crop density on the remobilization of dry matter and nitrogen from vegetative plant parts to the developing grain, was investigated in the durum wheat ( Triticum durum Desf.) varieties Creso, Simeto and Svevo cultivated in the field at three seeding rates, 200, 250 and 400 seeds m −2. Variety × seeding rate interaction was unsignificant for all recorded characters. Grain yield declined in the order Svevo > Simeto > Creso. Yield differences mainly depended on the different number of kernels per unit land and, secondly, on mean kernel weight. Spike components differed among varieties: Svevo and Simeto showed more kernels per spikelet and Creso more spikelets per spike. Grain yield was highest with 400 seeds m −2 primarily due to the higher number of spikes per unit area, and secondly, to the higher mean kernel weight. Post-heading dry matter accumulation was highest in Svevo and lowest in Creso, but varieties showed a reverse order for dry matter remobilization and contribution of dry matter remobilization to grain yield. The increase of seeding rate increased both the post-heading dry matter accumulation and the dry matter remobilization from vegetative plant parts to grain. Nitrogen uptake of the whole crop and N content of grain was higher in Simeto and Svevo than in Creso. The N concentration of grain did not vary among varieties, but Svevo showed a markedly lower N concentration and N content of culms at maturity, which may be consequence of the high N remobilization efficiency performed by this variety. The N uptake by the crop was highest with 400 seeds m −2, but the N concentration of culms, leaves and even grain was slightly lower than with the lower seed rates. The post-heading N accumulation was by far higher in Simeto and Svevo than in Creso, whereas remobilization was highest in Svevo and lowest in Simeto. The percentage contribution of N remobilization to grain N was by far higher in Creso than in the other two varieties. Post-heading N accumulation and N remobilization were highest with the highest plant density, but the contribution of N remobilization to N grain content did not differ between seeding rates.