Journal of Horticulture
Open Access

Abstract

Effects of Plant Growth Retardants and Pot Sizes on the Height of Potting Ornamental Plants: A Short Review

Megersa HG, Lemma DT and Banjawu DT

Due to its aesthetic values and economic benefits, the Production of potting ornamental plants for home use and marketing purposes are rising from time to time and moving a billion of dollars of worth around the globe. Thus, the production of these potting ornamental plants needs careful management practices starting from its early stage of development to throughout of its lifetime in order to give a beautification and marketable value. Among the crucially important practices of the potting ornamental plant, production is controlling of the plant to the desired height. This practice can be done either by planting the ornamental plants in to the appropriate pot sizes, which have the ability to limit the plant root development and consequently reduces the nutrient uptake by limiting the root system of the plant and/or by using of plant growth retardant chemicals, which have the ability to control the height of plants by suppressing plant growth regulator activities to the desired plant height. Different research outputs have confirmed that the larger pot size allowed the plant to grow taller whereas the smaller pot size restricted the height of the plants. Also, applying a high concentration of plant growth retardant chemicals reduced the internodal stem elongation of ornamental plants by inhibiting the action of growth hormone activities, which has the ability to enhance the plant, stem elongations by exhibiting the cell divisions and consequently increases the plant height. Considering all these points, this review aimed to discuss the effects of pot sizes and plant growth retardant chemicals on the potting ornamental plants for commercial use.