Plant growth regulator is a general term for a class of synthetic chemical substances that have a regulatory effect on plant growth and development. It regulates plants including breaking dormancy, promoting germination, promoting stem and leaf growth, promoting flower bud formation, promoting fruit maturity, forming Seedless fruits and inhibiting the growth of stems leaf and buds, etc., according to actual production needs, flexible use of regulators is important means to increase and stabilize yield. It also has the advantages of “low dosage, significant effect, and high input-output ratio”

There are two kinds: plant hormones and plant growth regulators. Plant hormones are micro-physiologically active substances synthesized in plants, usually transported from the synthesis site to the action site, and have a significant regulatory effect on the growth and development of the plant. Plant growth regulators are artificially synthesized or extracted from microorganisms. They have the same or similar functions as plant hormones. They can regulate, control, direct and induce the growth and development of crops as well as endogenous hormones. At present, there are hundreds of artificially synthesized plant growth regulators, some of them have been widely used in agricultural production. The plant growth regulators that have been discovered mainly include six types, which are Auxin, Gibberellin, Cytokinin, Abscisic, Acid Ethylene and Brassin.

Application of plant growth regulators

In terms of different usage, promote rooting and promote cutting rooting commonly use 3-indole acetic acid (IAA), 3-indole butyric acid (IBA), 1-naphthalene acetic acid (NAA), and ABT rooting powder. B9, paclobutrazol, chlormequat, and ethephon use to retard growth. Gibberellin usually use to promote the growth of stems and leaves, make bolting and flowering earlier, promote the germination of seeds and tubers, stimulate fruit growth, increase fruiting rates, or form seedless fruits, etc.. They have been widely used in the cultivation of potato, tomato, rice, wheat, cotton, soybean, peas, tobacco, fruit trees and other crops.

At present, there are many varieties of plant growth regulators registered and used in China. Their main functions are: prolonging storage organ dormancy/breaking dormancy and promoting germination, promoting rooting, promoting/inhibiting the growth of stem and leaf buds, promoting/inhibiting the formation of flower buds, thinning/preserving of flowers and fruits, inducing female flowers/male flowers, extending flowering period, keeping cut flowers fresh, forming seedless fruits, promoting fruit coloring, promoting/delaying fruit maturity, delaying senescence, increasing amino acid/protein content/sugar content, increasing fat content, improve stress resistance, etc.