1. GROWTH STIMULANTS, RETARDANTS AND ROOTING HORMONES
Horticulture
GROWTH STIMULANTS, RETARDANTS AND ROOTING HORMONES

2. Growth Regulating Substances
Called hormones: organic chemicals which act and interact to affect growth rate
Auxins: accelerate growth by stimulating cell enlargement
Gibberellins: stimulate growth in stem and leaf by cell elongation
Cytokinins: stimulate cell division (only works with auxins present)
Inhibitors: inhibit seed germination, stem elongation and hasten ripening of fruit.

3. Growth Hormones
Organic chemicals principally produced by actively growing plant tissue such as short tips and young leaves.
They move throughout the plant and can be found in many parts.
They react with one another.

4. Apical Dominance
The terminal bud secrets chemicals which inhibit or prevent growth of lateral buds.
This causes the plant to grow tall and not send out side branches.
Seems to be a genetic program directing the plant to grow above competing plants.
Once the plant reaches flowering age, the terminal bud becomes a flower bud and the chemicals are no longer secreted.
Pinching the terminal bud has the same effect and side branching occurs sooner.

5. Major Discoveries
Chemical and natural stimulants that cause plants to grow taller or faster
Chemical retardants that cause plants to grow slower
Hormones that cause plants to root faster
Dwarfing rootstock for fruit trees

6. Chemical Stimulants Enables plants to grow taller.
Most common is gibberellic acid
Gibberellic acid causes the stems of plants to stretch out
The nodes (the joints at which bulbs, leaves and branches) are further apart

7. Natural Stimulants Chemical known as alcohol Triacontanol
Found in alfalfa and has been known to nursery men for 30 years.
Stimulation is brought about by mulching with alfalfa hay or by watering plants with an alfalfa tea

8. Chemical Retardants
Used to retard the growth of plants making them shorter and more compact and therefore more attractive.
One of the newest applications for growth retardants is on lawns, a chemical called “Limit” is used new and it restricts grass growth for 6 to 8 weeks.
A new plant regulator called “Sumagic” reduces the height of plants by inhibiting production of the hormone Gibberellic acid. (which cause stems to elongate)

9. Rooting Hormones
When propagating plants from cuttings, it is very important that they root as quickly as possible
Indoleacetic acid (IAA) is a natural plant hormone that causes roots to form
Chemical hormones, indolebutyric acid (IBA) or naphaleneacetic acid (NAA) are the most common used today.

10. Rooting Hormones
Rooting hormones are either mixed with talc and used as powders or mixed with liquid and used as a wet dip
All rooting hormones should contain a fungicide.

11. Dwarfing Rootstock
As the cost of labor has increased, growers are looking for smaller trees.
Discovered trees from certain types of roots, do not grow as large and bear fruit earlier.
A complete series of rootstock known as malling rootstock was developed.

12. Commercially Used Plant Growth Regulators

13. Student Activities Complete self-evaluation at the end of this unit.
Using nursery catalogs and books, make a list of available dwarf fruit trees and details.