Effect of Growth Promoter PGRs in Vigna radiata and Zea mays seedlings

By
Princess Ella Mae B. Peñaloza

A Scientific Research Paper on

Plant Growth Regulators

Represented to:
Lilybeth F. Olowa, Ph.D

In Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for

Plant Growth and Development (BIO 176.1)
Mindanao State University – Iligan Institute of Technology

April 2018
 Abstract
Plant growth regulators have inhibitory effects and others have stimulatory effects. This study
aims to be able to determine and understand of how the growth hormones affect the plant
growth and development. Although these PGRs are the internal factors affecting the plant
growth, there are also external factors that could affect the plant growth and development. The
result shows that the gibberellin has the highest seedling height on the different species that
were used. In the number of internode formed, the kinetin has the greatest number and auxin
has the lesser number of internodes. This may influenced by the external factors. In terms of
leaf color, the cytokinin has the most colored leaf since this PGR promotes chlorophyll
synthesis. This study only focused on PGRs that are growth promoters and not with growth
retardants.
 Introduction

Background of the Study

The Plant Growth Regulators (PGR’s) are natural and organic molecules that are
primarily produced in a small amount just like hormones. (Thimann, 1948) designated the plant
hormones by the term “phytohormones” in order to distinguish them from animal hormones.
Thimann defined a phytohormone as an organic compound produced naturally in higher plants,
controlling growth or other physiological functions at a site remote from its place of production
and active in minute amounts.
According to Johannes van Overbeek (1950), the plant hormones are organic
compounds which regulate plant physiological process— regardless of whether these
compounds are naturally occurring and/or synthetic ; stimulating and/or inhibitory ; local
activators or substances which act at a distance from the place where they are formed. Three
types of plant hormones are usually recognized. These are auxins, gibberellins and cytokinins.
(Meirion Thomas, 1956) says that despite these differences, botanists have traditionally
suggested that plant hormones function like animal hormones; that is, the response elicited by a
plant hormone is determined by the concentration of the hormone.
Certain responses can be obtained by applying hormones to various parts of the plants,
but this does not necessarily mean that such responses are naturally controlled by the hormone.
These botanists, therefore, refer the plant hormones as plant growth regulators and suggest that
plant hormones are integrating agents that are necessary for, but do not control, the response.
According to this perspective, the response elicited by a hormone is determined not by the
amount of hormone, but rather by the sensitivity of the tissue to the hormone (Moore, Clark and
Stern, 1995).
There are also limiting factors which affects the growth and development of a plant,
these are the external factors such as light, temperature, water intake, food, and soil Ph. Plants
receives the change of physical environmental factors, and resulted from the synthesis of the
factors, including climate, soil, biology, and topography (Tang et al., 2010). Like other crops,
growth and development of plants are affected by environmental factors (Yang and Tian, 2004).
Previous studies showed that biological environment would have effect on plant morphology,
especially blade size, texture, thickness and plant morphology (Huang et al., 2009) Climatic
factors include light, temperature, moisture, and so on (Yang and Tian, 2004). They determine
the processes of soil water and heat conditions, and are the primary factors for the development
of plants (Yang et al., 2001)

Objective of the Study

This study aims to understand the effect of Plant growth regulators (PGRs) in response
to the growth and development of the plants. Also, to know and determine the seedling height,
color of the leaves, and the number of the internodes that will develop according to the assigned
plant hormones that will be used in different plants.
Significance of the Study
PGRs allow a level of plant manipulation at the production and post production level that
can improve quality and post production longevity. This can be a useful tool to enhance what
skilled growers can do by manipulating light, temperature, humidity and inorganic nutrition
during production. It increases or decreases the height, branching, delay senescence (i.e leaf
yellowing and leaf abscission), defoliation, enhance rooting, and improve seed germination.

Scope and Limitations

The study was conducted within a duration of 14 days by the class with different plant
hormones used. The PGRs should not use as a substitute for an appropriate greenhouse
environment for the crop being grown, appropriate watering and nutrition, rational scheduling
practices, final inadequate spacing and the timely spacing of the crop from propagation to sale.
 Materials and Method
The class obtained eight (8) empty microwavable plastic containers; 56 each mongo and
corn seeds and garden soil. Seed viability test was performed by placing each type of seeds in
an empty bottle of tap water and gather those that was sunk, those did not float were thrown.
Half-fill the eight (8) microwavable plastic containers with garden soil; and planted fourteen (14)
viable seeds of Vigna radiate (mongo) and Zea mays (corn) in each container. Four set ups
were made for each type of seeds – (1) seed position upward, (2) seed position downward, (3)
seed position lateral left, and (4) seed position lateral right. Keep the seeds for 14 days. Moisten
the soil by spraying with water every other day. The germination percentage and height of the
seedling were observed every day. Record the results.
After 7 days, the 8 microwavable containers with the seedlings itself was obtained and
labeled as Control (water), IAA (auxin), GA3 (gibberellin), and kinetin (cytokinin). Measure and
record the height of each plant, measured from the top of the pot to shoot apex. Spray the
appropriate seedlings with 20ml of deionized water. Spray the next appropriate seedling with
20ml of IAA. Rinse the plant sprayer after use with 20ml of deionized water. Repeat the steps
for the GA3 and kinetin treatments. All plants were placed randomly under a light source and in
such a way that no contact occurs between plants. After one week, the differences between
treatments was observed, taking special note of the differences in plant height.
 Results and Discussions
As plant growth is influenced by internal factors by plant growth regulator (plant
hormones or phytohormones) just like the human growth is influenced by hormones, there are
also external factors that could affect the plant growth which are the light, temperature, soil, and
water.
These three (3) PGRs (auxin, gibberellin, and kinetin) are growth promotes which are in
high concentrations in young, and these are actively growing in plants where there is very little
growth retardants PGRs.

As shown in figure 1, the gibberellic acid has the longest height among the four
treatments below. This implies that the gibberellic acid is mainly for stimulating stem elongation,
although these three growth hormones are growth promoters. The control has the next longest
height followed by kinetin. Auxin has the shortest plant height as it functions to increase plant
elasticity causing cell elongation. Auxin and kinetin are also growth promoters which stimulates
stem elongation, these may influenced by the light, water and temperature.

Figure 1.Graph of seedling height using the four treatments within 14 days in Zea mays (corn)
seed.

Chart Title
400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

0
Day 0 Day 7 Day 14

IAA CONTROL GA3 KINETIN

 The figure below also shows the plant height of mongo seeds within 14 days which
shows that gibberellic acid has also the highest plant height same as to Zea mays in figure 1.

Figure 2.Graph of seedling height using the four treatments within 14 days in Vigna radiata
(mung bean) seed.

The figure below shows that the kinetin has the numerous number of internodes among
the four treatments. Auxin has the smallest number of internode.

Figure 3. Graph of four treatments with the number of internodes during 14days in Zea mays
seeds.
Same as to figure 3, the kinetin has the greater number of internodes within 14 days. In
contrast, auxin has the lesser number of internodes.

Figure 4. Graph of four treatments with the number of internodes during 14days in Vigna radiata
seeds.

Cell division seems to be regulated by the joint action of auxins and cytokinins, each of
which appears to influence different phases of the cell cycle. Auxins exert an effect on DNA
replication, while cytokinin seem to exert some control over the events leading to mitosis
(Jouanneau, 1971; John et al., 1993; Pasternak et al., 2000, cf. Mode of action, above). Auxins
considered as ‘inducers’ of the cell cycle while cytokinins might behave more as its ‘promoters’
(Wood et al., 1990). Late replication of DNA in cell cultures has been advanced as one cause of
chromosome rearrangement (Lee and Phillips, 1988). GAs stimulate seed germination, trigger
transitions from meristem to shoot growth, juvenile to adult leaf stage, vegetative to flowering,
determines sex expression and grain development along with an interaction of different
environmental factors viz., light, temperature and water. The major site of bioactive GA is
stamens that influence male flower production and pedicel growth. Presently, it is a great
challenge for scientific community to understand the appropriate mechanism of GA movement
in plant’s growth, floral development, sex expression, grain development and seed germination.
Gibberellic acid is primarily concern in stimulating stem elongation. Thus the gibberellin has the
longest plant height among the three treatment. The uptake of water have proportionally similar
effects with the other PGR applications to the height of the seedling but not as high as
gibberellin (Figures 1 and 2). This indicates that the PGR not only reduced water use by making
the plant area smaller, but also allowed water to be used more efficiently by the plant. Similarly,
PGRs had a greater effect on water use on plant size (Figure 3 and 4). The PGRs delays the
senescence of a plant, only the cytokinin promotes the chlorophyll synthesis of a plant which
this hormone has the highest number of leaf color (see appendix).
Generally, however, it appears that when optimal PGR rates are used, the savings in
water use will be proportional to the reduction in plant size. Due to the influence of external
factors, some of the seedlings does not grow or because of the seed viability.
Conclusion and Recommendation
 Based on the gathered data, it concludes that the gibberellin has the highest seedling
height on the different species that were used. In the number of internode formed, the kinetin
has the greatest number and auxin has the lesser number of internodes. This may influenced by
the external factors. In terms of leaf color, the cytokinin has the most colored leaf since this
PGR promotes chlorophyll synthesis.
To improve awareness of well-being among PGRs by improving visibility of resources
currently offered and producing new resources designed for and targeted at PGRs.

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