ROLE OF PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS IN ENHANCING CROP PRODUCTIVITY

Abstract

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) are increasingly investigated as tools for enhancing crop productivity, particularly under abiotic stress conditions. This study evaluated the effects of selected PGRs on wheat, maize, and tomato under no-stress and drought-stress environments using a factorial experimental framework. Treatments included gibberellic acid, indole-3-acetic acid, 6-benzyladenine, 24-epibrassinolide, and salicylic acid, compared against untreated controls. Growth parameters, chlorophyll index, crop-specific yield components, and final yield were assessed to determine treatment efficacy and interaction effects. Results indicate that PGR responses were strongly context-dependent, with several treatments demonstrating greater relative yield benefits under drought stress than under optimal moisture conditions. Yield enhancement was associated more closely with improvements in reproductive components such as grain weight in cereals and fruit mass in tomato—than with vegetative growth alone. However, treatment effects were not uniform across crops, highlighting the importance of species-specific developmental pathways and environmental modulation. Overall, the findings suggest that PGRs can contribute to yield stabilization under moderate stress, but their agronomic effectiveness depends on precise application timing and crop-specific response dynamics rather than generalized growth stimulation.