scholarly journals Controlled Water Deficit as an Alternative to Plant Growth Retardants for Regulation of Poinsettia Stem Elongation

HortScience ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 50 (4) ◽  
pp. 565-569 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Alem ◽  
Paul A. Thomas ◽  
Marc W. van Iersel
Keyword(s):  
Drought Stress ◽  
Plant Growth ◽  
Plant Height ◽  
Water Deficit ◽  
Stem Elongation ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Growth Retardants ◽  
Target Height ◽  
Height Control ◽  
Plant Growth Retardants

Production of poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) often involves intensive use of plant growth retardants (PGRs) to regulate height. Height control is necessary for visual appeal and postharvest handling. Since PGRs do not always provide consistent height control and can have unwanted side effects, there is interest in alternative methods of height control. Since turgor potential drives cell expansion, and thus stem elongation, drought stress has potential for regulating plant height. Through soil moisture sensor-controlled irrigation, the severity of drought stress can be both monitored and controlled. The objective of our study was to compare poinsettia ‘Classic Red’ height control using PGRs (spray, mixture of daminozide and chlormequat at 1000 mg·L−1 each and drench, 0.25 mg·L−1 paclobutrazol) with the use of controlled water deficit (WD). Graphical tracking of plant height, using a final target height of 43.5 cm, was used to determine when to apply PGR or controlled WD. In the WD treatment, substrate volumetric water content (θ) was reduced from 0.40 to 0.20 m3·m−3 when actual height exceeded the expected height. PGR applications (spray or drench) reduced poinsettia height to 39 cm, below the final target level of 43.5 cm. WD resulted in a height of 44.5 cm, closest to the target height, while control plants were taller (49.4 cm). There was no effect of PGR drenches or WD on bract size, while spraying PGR reduced bract size by ≈ 40%. Bract chroma was unaffected by WD or PGR treatments. There was no difference in shoot dry weight between PGR- and WD-treated plants. Lateral growth was reduced by the PGR treatments, but not by WD. These results indicate that controlled WD can be used to regulate poinsettia height.

scholarly journals HEIGHT CONTROL OF HERBACEOUS PERENNIALS FORCED USING NIGHT-INTERRUPTED LIGHTING UNDER NURSERY CONDITIONS

HortScience ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 893f-894
Author(s):  
Gary J. Keever ◽  
J. Raymond Kessler
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Plant Height ◽  
Control Plant ◽  
Growth Retardants ◽  
Natural Control ◽  
Height Control ◽  
Herbaceous Perennials ◽  
Quality Rating ◽  
Plant Growth Retardants ◽  
Outdoor Nursery

In previous studies, night-interrupted lighting (NIL) promoted earlier flowering of summer-blooming herbaceous perennials grown under outdoor nursery conditions in the southeastern U.S. However, NIL promoted excessive plant height, thus reducing product quality. Our objective was to control plant height of Coreopsis grandiflora `Early Sunrise' (ES) and Rudbeckia fulgida `Goldsturm' (RG) grown under NIL with plant growth retardants (PGR) without offsetting earlier flowering promoted by NIL. Treatments under NIL were three rates of daminozide, daminozide plus chloromequat, flurprimidol, uniconazole, and NIL and natural controls. Plant height was reduced 3% to 38% in ES and 8% to 31% in RG and time to visible bud was unchanged by all PGR treatments compared to the NIL control. Time to visible bud was unchanged in RG by all PGR treatments and flurprimidol in ES, but the remaining PGR treatments increased time to visible bud compared to the NIL control in ES. Only ES plants treated with daminozide and daminozide plus chloromequat at the two highest rates and all rates of uniconazole were similar in height to the natural control. RG plant heights with the two highest rates of flurprimidol and uniconazole and the highest rate of daminozide plus chloromequat were less than the natural control; heights of plants in the remaining PGR treatments were similar to the natural control. Quality rating was unchanged in RG but was increased in ES by all PGR treatments compared to the NIL control.

scholarly journals Summer Applications of Plant Growth Retardants Affect Spring Forcing of Hydrangeas

1992 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 213-216 ◽  
Author(s):  
Douglas A. Bailey ◽  
Bernadette Clark
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Plant Height ◽  
Residual Effect ◽  
Control Program ◽  
Growth Period ◽  
Shoot Elongation ◽  
Growth Retardants ◽  
Height Control ◽  
Control Programs ◽  
Plant Growth Retardants

Summer spray applications of 5000 ppm daminozide (1× or 2×), 62 ppm paclobutrazol (1× or 2×), or 5 ppm uniconazole (1× or 2×) were applied to seven cultivars (Böttstein, Enziandom, Kasteln, Mathilde Gütges, Merritt's Supreme, Red Star, and Schenkenburg) of florists' hydrangea [Hydrangea macrophylla subsp. macrophylla var. macrophylla (Thunb.) Ser.] to evaluate cultivar response to plant growth retardants (PGRs). Both daminozide treatments and the 2× uniconazole treatment effectively reduced plant height for all cultivars during the summer growth period; cultivars varied in response to the paclobutrazol treatments and the 1× uniconazole treatment. Daminozide and uniconazole treatments resulted in less elongation than all other treatments during forcing for most cultivars tested. Paclobutrazol treatments had no residual effect on shoot elongation during forcing of the cultivars tested. The 2× treatments of all PGRs decreased inflorescence diameter of some of the cultivars tested compared with nonsprayed controls. Results from this study indicate that 1) summer application of PGRs can have a residual effect on plant height and inflorescence diameter of hydrangeas during the spring greenhouse forcing phase; and 2) hydrangea cultivars differ significantly in response to the PGRs tested. Therefore, the need for height control during the spring forcing period of hydrangeas will vary with cultivar, and it will depend on how plants were treated the previous summer growing season. We recommend that producers of dormant hydrangeas provide records of their summer height control program to forcers so that height control programs during spring forcing can be adjusted appropriately.

scholarly journals Effects of Pinching, Number of Cuttings per Pot, and Plant Growth Regulators on Height Control of Purple Firespike

2015 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 71-75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amir Rezazadeh ◽  
Richard L. Harkess
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Leaf Area ◽  
Plant Height ◽  
Plant Growth Regulators ◽  
Growth Regulators ◽  
Stem Elongation ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Maximum Height ◽  
Height Control ◽  
Leaf Dry Weight

Purple firespike (Odontonema callistachyum), native to Central America, has potential for use as a new flowering potted plant. The effects of number of pinches (zero, one, or two) and number of cuttings (one, two, or three) per 6-inch pot were evaluated on the control of plant height. Plant height was suppressed as the pinch number increased. The greatest reduction was recorded with one cutting per pot and two pinches. The maximum number of branches per pot was recorded with two pinches and three cuttings per pot. In a second experiment, plant growth regulators (PGR) were also tested for efficacy of height control; 2 weeks after pinching, foliar sprays of paclobutrazol, flurprimidol, daminozide, chlormequat, and a tank-mix of daminozide + chlormequat or media drenches of paclobutrazol, uniconazole, or flurprimidol were applied. Plant height, leaf area, and leaf dry weight were recorded at 3, 6, and 9 weeks after PGR application. Maximum height control was obtained with uniconazole drench at 8 ppm, resulting in plants 22 cm tall, 61% shorter than the untreated control (56 cm); however, it resulted in severe leaf distortion. Plant height was 56% and 46% shorter than the control using drenches of paclobutrazol at 30 ppm and flurprimidol at 15 ppm, respectively. Daminozide spray at 2000 ppm and tank-mix of daminozide + chlormequat at 4500/1500 ppm suppressed stem elongation by 20.3% and 19%, respectively. Plants treated with paclobutrazol drench at 30 ppm reduced leaf area and leaf dry weight compared with other PGRs. Chlormequat spray at tested concentrations was ineffective for controlling firespike plant growth. The most attractive potted plants were produced using a drench application of paclobutrazol at 10 or 15 ppm.

scholarly journals Using Paclobutrazol to Control Height of Poinsettia `Freedom'

2002 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 232-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Genhua Niu ◽  
Royal Heins ◽  
Will Carlson
Keyword(s):  
Plant Height ◽  
Stem Elongation ◽  
Flower Initiation ◽  
Euphorbia Pulcherrima ◽  
Application Time ◽  
Growth Retardants ◽  
Height Control ◽  
Area Reduction ◽  
Crop Development ◽  
Short Days

Late-season height control of poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima) is difficult since most chemical growth retardants adversely reduce bract size when applied after first bract color. Paclobutrazol (Bonzi) controls stem elongation late in poinsettia crop development but can excessively reduce bract size if improperly applied. Two experiments were conducted to quantify how paclobutrazol application influenced height and bract area of `Freedom' poinsettia. In the first experiment, paclobutrazol was applied at 1 mg·L-1 (ppm) in 118-mL (4.0-fl oz) volumes per pot [(a.i.) 0.12 mg/pot (28,350 mg = 1.0 oz)] as a drench to a new group of plants weekly from the initiation of short days until 1 week before anthesis. Maximum reduction in height and bract area was obtained when paclobutrazol was applied immediately after short days, and the response to paclobutrazol decreased as application time was increasingly delayed toward anthesis. In the second experiment, paclobutrazol was applied weekly after first bract color as either a drench or subapplication at various concentrations. Plant height and bract area were reduced by 23% when 2 mg·L-1 [(a.i.) 0.24 mg/pot) paclobutrazol was applied through subapplication at first color. The effects of paclobutrazol on height and bract area reduction decreased as application time was progressively delayed. Concentrations lower than 1 mg·L-1 had no significant effect on height or bract area reduction, regardless of application time or method. Generally, the reduction in height and bract area was larger when paclobutrazol was applied through subapplication. The combined results from both experiments indicate that paclobutrazol drench applications after flower initiation concomitantly reduce plant height (internode extension) and bract area. Therefore, drench applications should be delayed as long as possible to limit reduction in bract size.

scholarly journals Effect of Plant Growth Retardants on Stem Elongation of Hibiscus Species

2003 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 293-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan M. Warner ◽  
John E. Erwin
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Stem Elongation ◽  
Stem Length ◽  
Growth Retardants ◽  
Chlormequat Chloride ◽  
Plant Growth Retardants ◽  
Butanedioic Acid ◽  
Spray Applications

One-time spray applications [about 6 mL (0.2 fl oz)] of chlormequat chloride [1000 or 2000 mg·L-1 (ppm)], daminozide (2500 or 5000 mg·L-1), paclobutrazol (20 or 40 mg·L-1) and uniconazole (5 or 10 mg·L-1) varied in efficacy in reducing Hibiscus coccineus (Medic.) Walt., H. radiatus Cav., and H. trionum L. (flower-of-an-hour) stem elongation. Chlormequat chloride inhibited stem elongation of all species, with a 2000 mg·L-1 application reducing stem length of H. coccineus, H. radiatus, and H. trionum by 87%, 42%, and 52%, respectively, compared to untreated plants, 28 d after application. Paclobutrazol also inhibited stem elongation of all species. Uniconazole reduced stem elongation of H. coccineus and H. radiatus, but not H. trionum. Daminozide applied at 5000 mg·L-1 reduced H. radiatus stem elongation only. Growth retardants examined in this study did not delay flowering of H. trionum, the only species that flowered during the experiment. (Chemical names used: ancymidol (α-cyclopropyl-α-(4-methoxyphenol)-5-pyrimidinemethonol), chlormequat chloride(2-chloroethyltrimethylammonium chloride), paclobutrazol ((+)-(R*,R*)-beta((4-chlorophenyl)methyl)-alpha-(1,1-dimethyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-ethanol), daminozide ([butanedioic acid mono(2,2-dimethylhydrazide)], uniconazol-P ((E)-(+)-(s)-1-(4-chlorophenyl)-4,4-dimethyl-2-(1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)pent-1-ene-3-ol)).

scholarly journals (94) Efficacy of Application Methods and Concentration of Plant Growth Retardants on Growth of Chrysanthemum (Dendranthem ×grandiflorum `Cheasepeake')

HortScience ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
pp. 1046A-1046
Author(s):  
Chun Ho Pak ◽  
Seung Won Kang ◽  
Chiwon W. Lee
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Plant Height ◽  
Nutrient Solution ◽  
Growth Retardation ◽  
Growth Retardant ◽  
Plant Production ◽  
Growth Retardants ◽  
Total Plant ◽  
Plant Growth Retardants ◽  
Application Methods

Efficacy of application methods and concentration of plant growth retardants on growth of chrysanthemum (Dendranthema ×grandiflorum cv. Cheasepeake) was tested. B-9 or cycocel (CCC) as a growth retardant was applied as drench or subapplication with nutrient solution. In the case of B-9 drench treatments, as B-9 concentrations increased, numbers of flowers and flower buds increased except in the 1500-ppm treatment. Increasing concentration of CCC also resulted in reduction of flower numbers, total plant height, total leaf area, branch number, and fresh weight. Reduction ratio of total plant height in 2000 ppm showed about 56.9% being compared to that of the 100-ppm drench treatment. B-9 or CCC, combined with nutrient solution, was also supplied from the C-channel subirrigation system. The B-9 subapplication treatment showed no significance among these concentrations, but flower numbers, total plant height, average plant height, and leaf numbers decreased as concentrations of CCC increased. B-9 or CCC with the same concentration was drenched after 2 weeks of the first experiment to compare planting time efficacy. Measured data increased until B-9 increased up to 2500 ppm and severe growth retardation resulted from the 5000-ppm treatment. Through this growth retardant application study, the combination of drenching concentration and period of plant growth regulators (PGRs) may result in effective growth retardation and reduction of application concentrations for pot plant production.

scholarly journals Are plant growth retardants a strategy to decrease lodging and increase yield of sunflower?

2016 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 154 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcia Eugenia Amaral Carvalho ◽  
Paulo Roberto de Camargo e Castro ◽  
Marcos Vinicius de Castro Ferraz Junior ◽  
Ana Carolina Cabrera Machado Mendes
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Gibberellic Acid ◽  
Plant Height ◽  
Dry Mass ◽  
The Other ◽  
Alternative Strategy ◽  
Growth Retardants ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Plant Growth Retardants ◽  
Potential Strategy

One of the major disadvantages of sunflower cultivation is the increased plant height, making it prone to the lodging. The use of plant growth retardants can be an alternative strategy to reduce plant height; however, these compounds may affect productivity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of plant growth retardants on sunflower development and yield. Four treatments were studied: 1- control; 2- gibberellic acid (GA) 10 mg L−1; 3- trinexapac-ethyl (TE) 5 mL L−1, and 4- maleic hidrazide (MH) 8 mL L−1. TE and MH decreased plant height (16.9 and 35.9%, respectively); however, only TE positively influenced capitulim diameter and dry mass (46.7 and 311%, when compared to control) at 60 days after planting (DAP). At 81 DAP, dry mass of capitulum did not differ among control and TE-treated plants. On the other hand, MH impaired diameter and dry mass of capitulum (92.9 and 74.7%, respectively). It can be concluded that the application of TE is a potential strategy to decrease lodging probability without affecting sunflower yield. Furthermore, although MH negatively affected sunflower development, its use on the crop cannot be excluded since other doses, frequencies and moment of application can be studied.

scholarly journals Paclobutrazol or Ancymidol Effects on Postharvest Performance of Potted Ornamental Plants and Plugs

HortScience ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 50 (9) ◽  
pp. 1370-1374 ◽  
Author(s):  
Iftikhar Ahmad ◽  
Brian E. Whipker ◽  
John M. Dole
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Shelf Life ◽  
Stem Elongation ◽  
Ornamental Plants ◽  
Growth Control ◽  
Foliar Spray ◽  
Dry Weight ◽  
Growth Retardants ◽  
Potted Plants ◽  
Plant Growth Retardants

Effects of paclobutrazol and ancymidol on postharvest performance and growth control of potted sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.), zinnia (Zinnia elegans Jacq.) and marigold (Tagetes erecta L.), petunia (Petunia ×hybrida Vilm.) plugs, respectively, were studied. Paclobutrazol was applied as a drench at 0, 1.0, 2.0, or 4.0 mg of a.i. per 15.2-cm pot for sunflower and 0, 0.5, 1.0, or 2.0 mg per 12.5-cm pot for zinnia, while ancymidol was applied at 0, 40, 80, and 160 mg·L−1 with a volume of 0.21 L·m−2 as a foliar spray for marigolds or petunia plug crops. With an increase in paclobutrazol dose or ancymidol concentration, plant growth (plant height and diameter, shoot fresh or dry weight) was controlled for all species tested. Use of 1.0–2.0 mg paclobutrazol per pot produced 21% to 28% shorter plants with 12% to 15% smaller plant diameter, 13% to 19% less shoot fresh weight, 15% to 21% less dry weight, and darker green foliage color for potted sunflower than nontreated plants. Treatment with 1.0–4.0 mg paclobutrazol per pot delayed first wilting by 0.7–1.4 days compared with nontreated plants. For zinnia, 0.5–1.0 mg paclobutrazol controlled plant growth, produced dark green foliage, and extended shelf life by delaying first wilting by 2.6–3.9 days and second wilting by 1.4–2.0 days than nontreated plants. For marigold and petunia plugs, 40–80 mg·L−1 ancymidol provided ample growth control with darker green foliage; however, postharvest longevity was extended only when plugs were sprayed with 160 mg·L−1 ancymidol. During simulated storage and shipping, plant growth retardants maintained darker green foliage for potted sunflower, zinnia, and marigold plugs and prevented postharvest stem elongation of petunia plugs. In summary, use of plant growth retardants effectively controlled excessive plant growth and extended shelf life of potted plants and plugs.

Effects of Plant Growth Retardants and Application Timing after Shearing on Growth and Flowering of Coreopsis verticillata `Moonbeam'

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 522a-522
Author(s):  
J. Raymond Kessler ◽  
Gary J. Keever
Keyword(s):  
Plant Growth ◽  
Plant Height ◽  
Growth Index ◽  
Market Quality ◽  
Growth Retardants ◽  
Application Timing ◽  
Quality Rating ◽  
Plant Growth Retardants ◽  
Herbaceous Perennial ◽  
Short Days

Coreopsis verticillata `Moonbeam' is a herbaceous perennial that may grow too tall in small containers under greenhouse conditions for market acceptance, and therefore may benefit from plant growth retardants. Rooted terminal cuttings produced under short days were given a terminal pinch and transplanted to 10 cm pots. Cuttings were sheared to 6 cm above the pot rim 4 weeks later. Growth retardant treatments consisting of ancymidol drench at 0, 0.125, 0.25, or 0.375 mg a.i./pot; paclobutrazol drench at 0, 0.125, 0.25, or 0.375 mg a.i./pot; daminozide spray at 0, 2550, 5100, or 7650 mg·L–1; paclobutrazol spray at 0, 12, 24, 36, 48, or 60 mg·L–1; or flurprimidol spray at 0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 150, or 200 mg·L–1 were applied 10 days after shearing. Night-breaking lighting using incandescent bulbs was started the same day. The highest rate of ancymidol, paclobutrazol drench, daminozide, and flurprimidol decreased plant height compared to controls by 36, 30, 21, and 36%, respectively. Paclobutrazol sprays were not effective. A market quality rating of four or higher (good, salable) was given to plants treated with daminozide at 5100 or 7650 mg·L–1 or flurprimidol at 150 or 200 mg·L–1. A second experiment was conduced to determine application timing. A daminozide spray at 0, 2550, 5100, or 7650 mg·L–1 was applied 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, or 15 days after shearing. Plant height, growth index and lateral shoot length were least and market quality rating highest when 5100 or 7650 mg·L–1 of daminozide was applied between 6 and 9 days after shearing.

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