AT A GLANCE
- They support a well-fed crop; they don’t replace fertilizer.
- Growth regulators work in tiny amounts — measure exactly, never “a little extra”.
- Spray in the cool morning or evening, on a crop that is not under water stress.
- Do a jar test before mixing with any other product.
What’s the difference?
| Plant growth regulators (PGRs) | Bio-stimulants | |
|---|---|---|
| Examples | Gibberellic acid (GA3), cytokinins, auxins | Amino acids, seaweed extracts, humic and fulvic acids |
| How they work | Act like the plant’s own hormones to trigger specific responses — flowering, elongation, fruit set | Improve root growth, nutrient uptake and recovery from stress |
| Dose | Very small and exact — parts per million | More forgiving, but follow the label |
| Risk of overdose | High — weak, elongated stems, poor fruit quality, flower drop | Low, but wasted money |
How PGRs are regulated
When to spray
- GA3: usually at flowering or early fruit set, as the label states for your crop. Spraying outside that stage gives little benefit.
- Amino-acid bio-stimulants: early vegetative growth, before flowering, and after stress such as frost, heat or transplanting shock.
- Spray in the early morning or late afternoon. Avoid midday heat, strong wind and rain expected within 6 hours.
- Make sure the crop is irrigated and not wilting — stressed plants respond poorly.
Mixing with other products: the jar test
Many farmers mix two or three products in one tank to save a trip. Some combinations curdle, settle out or lose strength. A two-minute jar test avoids a blocked sprayer and a damaged crop.
- Fill a clear 1-litre bottle with the same water you will spray with.
- Add each product in the same proportion as your tank (e.g. 1/15th of the tank dose for a 15-litre tank), one at a time, shaking after each.
- Wait 15–30 minutes and look closely.
- If you see lumps, flakes, layers, heavy settling or the bottle feels warm, do not tank-mix — spray separately.
Not sure what your crop needs?Send clear photos of the crop — the whole plant, the affected leaves up close, and the field — with your crop and its age. Our team will reply in Hindi or English.
