Abstract

Pl Phytohormones are growth-regulating chemicals found in minute quantities in plants. They are capable of influencing specific physiological processes at parts whither they had been transferred. Hormones influence plants in four important ways, (1) causing physiological and morphological differences in the plant parts which bear roots, leaves, flowers, and fruits, (2) determining the form of a plant (3) producing tropisms just as phototropism, geotropism etc., and (4) controlling growth. All stages of growth and especially the cell enlargement phase are greatly influenced by hormones. Nowadays synthetic hormones are being put to a variety of uses to help the farmer and the fruit grower, as in parthenocarpy or seedless fruit-setting, prolonging or breaking of dormancy in tuber plants as and when required, prevention of lodging, prevention of pre-harvest fruit drop, rooting of cuttings and eradication of weeds. Overcoming certain nutrient deficiencies in soil was also found possible by means of synthetic, growth-hormones.

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