The morphology of TiO2 one-dimensional structures played an important role in improving the photovoltaic performance of nanostructural solar cells. Herein we utilized a low-temperature solution-deposited rutile layer to adjust the morphology of TiO2 nanorod (NR) arrays on SnO2:F (FTO) conductive glass. The higher concentration of TiCl4 precursor solution for the deposition of seed layer can generate more nucleation sites for the growth of TiO2 NRs, which raises the density of the TiO2 NR arrays and further restrains the growth of TiO2 at transverse direction. The obtained TiO2 NR arrays were successfully incorporated into dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) as the photoanodes. The denser TiO2 NR arrays, resulted from the TiCl4 precursor solution with higher concentration, provided larger surface for the adsorption of dyes, and thus improved the light harvesting of solar cells. More importantly, the seed layers were proved to present effective blocking effect in preventing the electron recombination at FTO/electrolyte interface, which increased open-circuit voltage of DSSCs of ~110 mV. It is a convenient method to control the morphology of TiO2 NR photoanode and back electron reaction via seed layers, which could be used in other nanostructural photoelectrochemical devices.