ABSTRACT

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) represent one of the smallest sectors of the agricultural chemicals market. PGRs are compounds that regulate the growth and metabolism of plants in a beneficial manner and include a diverse series of chemical structures which may be synthetic or naturally occurring. The imidazolinones augment numerous morphological and physiological PGR-like responses, some of which are axillary branching, tillering, flowering, and yield of some agronomic and horticultural crops. Imazaquin slows grass growth and reduces the frequency for mowing when applied during the post-greenup growth stage. The rate of grass growth is slowed enough to reduce the need for mowing from weekly to 3- to 4-week intervals after application. Field work has been conducted on the feasibility of using imidazolinones, especially imazethapyr, in forage management. The objective of such research is to regulate the growth of various components of pasture vegetation to prolong the vegetative cycle resulting in increased nutritional value of forage for grazing, hay, and silage.