A review on: Response of crops to paclobutrazol application

Abstract

Plant growth regulators are synthetic chemical substances that are directly applied to crops to alter some structural processes. It is expected that these alterations modify hormonal balance and growth leading to increased yield, enhanced crop tolerance against abiotic stress and improved physiological trait of crops. Paclobutrazol is a member of the triazole family of plant growth regulators and has been found to protect several crops from various environmental stresses, including drought, chilling and heat radiation. Paclobutrazol impedes gibberellin biosynthesis through blocking ent-kaurene synthesis in the metabolic pathway of gibberellin production, resulting in reduced amounts of active gibberellins and consequent reduction in stem elongation. In this article, the current knowledge and possible applications of paclobutrazol, which can be used to improve the growth and yield of crops, have been reviewed and discussed. The role of paclobutrazol to mitigate the harmful effects of drought stresses in crops is also examined. Moreover, various biochemical and physiological processes leading to improved crop production under the effect of paclobutrazol are discoursed in detail.