What is the Difference Between Plant Hormones and Plant Growth Regulators?

The main difference between plant hormones and plant growth regulators lies in their origin and purpose.

Plant Hormones:

• These are naturally occurring substances produced endogenously in plants.
• They regulate various growth processes in plants.
• Examples include auxin, gibberellin, cytokinin, abscisic acid, and ethylene.

Plant Growth Regulators:

• These are chemicals synthesized artificially by humans.
• They are applied to plants to regulate their growth and development.
• They may be synthetic compounds that mimic the action of naturally occurring plant hormones, or they may be natural hormones extracted from plant tissue.
• Plant growth regulators can be classified into two major groups: plant growth promoters and plant growth inhibitors.

Both plant hormones and plant growth regulators affect various aspects of plant growth and development, such as flowering, aging, root growth, stem elongation, fruit color, and leafing or leaf fall. However, plant hormones are produced naturally by plants, while plant growth regulators are applied to plants by humans for specific purposes.

Comparative Table: Plant Hormones vs Plant Growth Regulators

Here is a table comparing the differences between plant hormones and plant growth regulators:

Plant hormones are produced naturally by plants and are involved in various plant processes, such as cell differentiation, growth, and organ development. Examples of plant hormones include Auxin, Gibberellin, Cytokinin, Abscisic acid, and Ethylene. On the other hand, plant growth regulators are chemicals synthesized artificially by humans and are also involved in plant growth and development. Examples of plant growth regulators include Naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and Indolebutyric acid (IBA). The effects of both plant hormones and plant growth regulators are short-lived, and they may need to be reapplied in order to achieve the desired effect.