Plant Growth Regulator Developments

PGR Developments

Sonali Padhye, an assistant professor in the Environmental Horticulture Department at the University of Florida, discusses the latest on plant growth regulators (PGRs).

You’ll be discussing PGRs at Pest & Production Management Conference. What are some of the latest products available in the PGR market?

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Over the last few years, patents for several PGR active ingredients have expired and new PGR formulations have been introduced. The new PGR formulations that we have worked with have performed very well. There is continued interest in using Configure (Fine Americas), which contains benzyladenine (BA), to increase branching. I will be sharing some of our data at the meeting.

The latest PGR introduction is ConTego (Valent USA) which contains abscisic acid (ABA) and improves post-harvest drought tolerance. I will be discussing the results from our research trials as well as a trial conducted at Shore Acre Farms in Alabama.

What are some of your “keys to success” with PGRs?

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Applying PGRs early in the production cycle is important and liner or bulb dips, liner sprenches, and plant drenches can be very effective and cost saving. Multiple low-rate PGR applications are always better than a single high-rate PGR application. As always, environmental factors impact the efficacy of the PGRs and growers should conduct in-house trials to ensure success with PGRs.

What are some of your new PGR research findings?

We recently conducted a study evaluating the efficacy of Concise (uniconazole, Fine Americas) and Piccolo (paclobutrazol, Fine Americas) on height control of tropical liners. We found high PGR rates continue to suppress plant height after transplant while low PGR rates are ineffective in providing height control of vigorous tropicals.

Hence, selection of the correct PGR rate is imperative to the success of liner growers and their customers. We have also seen that Primo (trinexapac ethyl) can effectively suppress the height of ornamental grasses from the Poaceae family.

For more information on Pest & Production Management Conference (P&PMC), presented by Society of American Florists and Greenhouse Grower, visit PestAndProductionManagement.com.

Want more from P&PMC speakers? Click the links below:

Jim Barrett on “Proper PGR Use”

Margery Daughtrey & Mary Hausbeck on “Disease Management Strategies”

Scott Ludwig on “Bio-Controls & Thrips Management”

Cristi Palmer on “Pests & Diseases”

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