LECTURE 04

PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS

Growth regulators, or hormones, are not nutrients, but they influence growth and
development. They are produced naturally in plants. Cultures, however, usually do not
manufacture sufficient quantities of growth regulators, sothey must be added selectively
to culture media.
The five classical hormones:
Auxin
Gibberellins
Cytokinin
Abscisic acid
Ethylene
Additional substances gaining recognition as hormones:
Polyamines
Jasmonates
Salicylic acid
Brassinosteroid
Auxins
Auxins stimulate new cell division, cell enlargement, the formation of shoot
apices or buds, the induction of somatic embryogenesis, and may promote rooting. e.g.
Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), Indole-3-butyric acid, 1-Naphtalene acetic acid (NAA), 2,4Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxy acetic acid (2,4,5-T) and
picloram.
Cytokinins
Cytokinins stimulate cell division, cell and/or shoot differentiation, lateral bud break, etc
Natural : zeatin (ZEA), Isopentenyl Adenine (2iP or IPA), (adenine)
Synthetic: benzylaminopurine (BAP = benzyladenine BA), kinetin (KIN)
Auxin - Cytokinin Interaction

In case of high auxin-cytokinin ratio, root formation, embryogenesis and callus

formation is initialised.
In case of low auxin-cytokinin ratio, formation of adventitive or axillary shoots is
induced.
The auxin-cytokinin ratio is also essential for chloroplast formation (and for most of
another process).
Gibberelins
Gibberelins - naturally occurring plant hormones involved in internode elongation,
enhancement of flower, fruit and leaf size, germination, vernalization and others
processes in plants. e.g gibberellic acid (GA3)
Abscisic Acid
Abscisic acid (ABA) - A plant hormone involved in abscission, enforcing dormancy, and
regulating early stages of embryo development.
Ethylene
Ethylene - A gaseous plant hormone involved in fruit maturation, abscission, and
senescence. It is produced by certain tissue cultures.
Brassinosteroids
Promote shoot elongation at low concentrations
Strongly inhibit root growth and development
Promote ethylene biosynthesis and epinasty
Jasmonates
Jasmonates are represented by jasmonic acid and its methyl ester. Jasmonic acid is
considered by some to be a new class of plant growth substance.
Inhibition of many processes such as tissue culture growth, embryogenesis, seed
germination, pollen germination, flower bud formation, chlorophyll formation,
Differentiation in plant tissue culture, adventitious root formation, breaking of seed
dormancy, pollen germination,
Polyamines
There is some controversy as to whether these compounds should be classified with
hormones. They appear to be essential in growth and cell division.
Salicylic Acid

SA is thought by some to be a new class of plant growth substances. It promotes

flowering, inhibits ethylene biosynthesis and reverses the effects of ABA.