An introduction to

Plant Growth Regulators

MRL Update • We expect the establishment of the chlormequat chloride tolerance in

the USA by mid-May 2018. Chlormequat chloride is the active ingredient in Manipulator.

• Engage Agro will be asking customers for forecasts in anticipation of the establishment of the MRL in the USA. We will also be providing Manipulator training sessions to agronomists, growers and retailers to ensure label compliance.

• In the event the tolerance is not established in time for application, Engage Agro will not release additional product to the distribution channel.

• Always check with your buyer before applying any crop protection product

Agenda

• Introduction – What are PGR’s?

• Understanding Plant Hormones

• PGR’s in Cereal Production

• How PGR’s work in Cereal crops

• PGR’s For Canada – Manipulator Introduction

• Wheat Growth Stages (GS/30-32)

• Manipulator application guidelines

• Discussion / Q&A

What are PGR’s? • “plant growth regulators affect

the balance of plant hormones in treated plants”

• PGR’s benefit crop production by modifying the balance of plant hormones

Source: Rademacher, W. and Brahm, L. 2010. Plant Growth Regulators. Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry.

http://www.flowerbulbs.cornell.edu/forcing/lily_cultivars/Fangio.htm

Understanding Plant Hormones

• What are Plant Hormones?

– Signaling molecules that regulate plant growth and development

– They are NOT nutrients, but naturally occurring chemicals that promote and influence the growth, development and differentiation of cells and tissues in plants

C C

H

H

H

H Ethylene

Understanding Plant Hormones • Five “Classical” Plant Hormones

Auxins

Cytokinins

Gibberellins

Abscisic Acid

Ethylene

Stimulate plant growth

Inhibit plant growth

Abscisic Acid is the hormone which stimulates the closure of stomata.

Understanding Plant Hormones Ethylene

Gaseous compound Stimulates senescence Stimulates release of dormancy “Triple response” – stunting of growth,

twisting of plants, abnormal thickening of stems

Stimulates fruit ripening

Understanding Plant Hormones Gibberellins

Synthesized in young tissues of the shoot and developing seed

Stimulates stem elongation through cell division and elongation

Gibberellins production is highest during periods of rapid growth.

PGR’s in Cereal Production

Why PGR’s -> Reduced Lodging

• PGRs are used on cereals to prevent lodging by helping plants develop shorter, thicker, stronger stems.

• PGR’s are sprayed on the crop in the same way as a herbicide or fungicide

PGR’s in Cereal Production Why PGR’s -> Reduced Lodging

• Effects of lodging

• Yield loss • Reduction of photosynthetic

capabilities of the plant • Interference with the transport of

nutrients and moisture from the soil • Uneven maturity • Loss of grain quality • Ease of harvesting

• Factors that cause Lodging in cereal crops

– Cultivar susceptibility – Weather – Crop Management

• Fertility • Seeding rates

“Lodging is reported to be the most limiting factor in attaining high yields from increased nitrogen fertilization” (2008 Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development Lodging of Cereal Crops)

PGR’s in Cereal Production

UNTREATED TREATED

How PGR’s work in Cereal crops • Cereals plant growth regulators fall into two main groups related to their

mode of action.

• Ethylene releasing compounds • 2-chloroethyl phosphonic acid - ethephon • Ethephon is slightly acidic but when absorbed into the more

neutral cells/cytoplasm ethephon breaks down into ethylene – inhibiting stem elongation

• eg: Ethrel/Cerone

• Inhibitors of gibberellin biosynthesis • anti-gibberellins

• In Canada a PGR which claims to reduce lodging must be registered with

the PMRA, efficacy testing must be done prior to registration to prove the PGR works. • PGR’s which claim to increase growth are regulated by the CFIA, the same as

fertility products

How PGR’s work in Cereal crops

• Ethylene releasing compounds

• Essentially add the hormone

ethylene onto the plant

• Reduce height and thicken stems when applied within a narrow application window • *may harm the plant when

applied outside of their application window

• Excellent results to reduce

“neck snapping”

Anti-gibberellin compounds

Chlormequat: Manipulator, Cycocel etc...

Triazoles: used in OSR/canola in the UK

Trinexapac-ethyl: Moddus, Palisade Prohexadione-Ca: Apogee, Canopy

Newest group of growth retardants: no commercial products available

Gibberellin biosynthesis

Rademacher, 2000. Growth retardants: Effects on gibberellin biosynthesis and other metabolic pathways. Annu. Rev. Plant Physiol. Plant Mol. Biol. 51:501-31.

How PGR’s work in Cereal crops

• Anti-Gibberellin Products

• reduce gibberellin production which reduces plant height and thickens stems

• significantly reduces the risk of lodging and yield loss in cereal grains

• Trinexapac-ethyl & Prohexadione Ca

• Trinexapac-ethyl & Prohexadione Ca reduce gibberellic acid (GA) production late in the biosynthesis of GA, and has a short residual activity. Trinexapac ethyl is often tank mixed with Chlormequat because they are complimentary.

• Chlormequat

• Chlormequat reduces gibberellic acid (GA) production early in the biosynthesis of GA, and has a long residual activity. Since its introduction for use in 1965, Chlormequat Chloride has become the standard for lodging control in cereals.

PGR’s in the UK

Plant Growth Regulator Use in the UK

Crop % receiving PGR Apps/year

winter wheat 89 1.7

winter barley 77 1.4

winter oats 78 1.4

75% of PGR applications contain chlormequat

2006 -Department for the Environment Food and Rural Affairs, London

Comparison of standard PGR’s used in Europe

Anti-gibberellin PGR’s Unformulated Chlormequat Trinexapac ethyl & Prohexadione CA

Mode of action Inhibits early stages of gibberellin biosynthesis

Inhibits late stages of gibberellin biosynthesis

Minimum temperature 8° C 10 ° C

On set of action Slow Fast

Residual activity Long short

Application widow GS 23-31 (2- 6 leaf stage) GS 30-32 (5-6 leaf stage)

Source: Wilhelm Rademacher ‐ Control of Lodging in Intense European Cereal Production

Ethylene releasing compounds Ethephon

Mode of action Releases ethylene which can cause stunting of growth, and abnormal thickening of stems

Minimum temperature 15 ° C

Application widow GS 37-45 (early flag to swollen-boot stage)

Source: Cerone® product label

Comparison of standard PGR’s used in Europe

• Chlormequat is the standard product used in Europe across most cereal crops

• Trinexapac ethyl, Prohexadione CA and Ethephon are used in specific situations depending on growing conditions.

– Example:

• Trinexapac ethyl is a strong barley PGR but with a narrow window of application

• Growers will use Trinexapac ethyl on their barley and Chlormequat on their wheat because of wider application flexibility

Why is there so much interest in PGR’s now?

• In PGR’s with older formulations, application timing is very

critical.

• If they aren’t applied at the right time, results are not beneficial; • In Canadian growing conditions, this window can be as short as a

few days.

• PGR’s with older formulations require temperatures to be

above 8° C, or they won’t work • This is part of the reason we haven’t seen much PGR use in

Canadian cereal production

Formulation: • Chlormequat chloride (620 g/L) + Low

temperature activators + Safeners • suspension concentrate (SC) • systemic

Key Features:

• Performance not affected by temperature • Designed to work as low as 1⁰C

• Safening system

• Wide window of application • GS 12- 39 (2-3 leaf stage to flag)

• Excellent tank mix compatibility

UNTREATED MANIPULATOR™

NDVI picture of field shown • The dark green area was the section

treated with MANIPULATOR™ • Dark green means it has a higher yield

potential

PGR application timing on wheat

Manipulator Application Timing

1. Optimum timing (~ 5 to 6 leaf) – Growth Stage 30 - 32: • Excellent results compared to untreated.

2. Flag leaf Growth Stage 39 • Very good results compared to untreated.

3. Herbicide Timing (3 to 4 leaf, 1 tiller) – Growth Stage 21 - 29: • Good results compared to untreated.

• If you want to avoid a separate pass • Tank mixing with a flag leaf fungicide shows better PGR efficacy than

herbicide timing

• We do not recommend applying a flag leaf fungicide at GS 30-32, as data shows that early fungicide applications are not as effective

Staging GS- 30 5 -6 leaf, 1-2 tillers

Staging GS 30-32

Pull a sample which represents the average growth stage of the field. The wheat in this picture is at GS 30.

Staging GS 30-32

Identify the main stem. This stem is usually the largest with the thickest stem. This plant is in GS 30. Remove the tillers.

Staging GS 30-32

Cut the roots off at the base of the plant, then make a lateral cut from the base of the stem.

Staging GS 30-32

Identify the head. If the head is more than 1 cm above the ground, and the first node is not visible, the plant is in GS 30. Note this wheat plant is entering GS 30

Staging GS 30-32

If the head is 1 cm above the first visible node, the plant is in GS 31 If the head is 1 cm above the second node, the plant is in GS 32.

Small Plot Trial: NARF - Melfort, SK

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Untreated GS21 Herbicidetiming

GS31 5-6 leaf stage GS39 Flag Leafstage

Height (cm)

Yield (bu/ac)

Manipulator Trial Results - 2013

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Spring Wheat Trial: IHARF - Indian Head, SK Height and Yield at 3 different fertility rates and 2 different timings

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Manipulator Trial Results - 2014 Spring Wheat Trial: IHARF - Indian Head, SK

Height, Yield and Protein at 3 different fertility rates and 3 different PGR timings

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Manipulator Trial Results - 2015 Spring Wheat Trial: IHARF - Indian Head, SK

Height , Yield and Protein at 3 different fertility rates and 3 different PGR timings

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1st node location

Stage: Awns just visible (GS 49) -17 days after application

Manipulator

untreated

2nd internode length

Manipulator internodes

4th internode length 3rd internode length

4th node to top of awns

Application Guidelines • Timing

– GS 12 – 39

– 5-6 leaf stage (GS 30 – 31) is ideal

• Rate

– 1.8L/ha

– 0.7 L/ac

• Pack size

– 2 x 10L case

– 14 ac/jug

• Formulation – SC

– Shake jug before using

• Water volume

– 100 L/HA or 10 gal/ac

• Rain fast

– 2 hours in good growing conditions

Wheat Varieties & PGR’s

• Different varieties react differently to applied plant growth regulators.

– reduction in height and lodging in CPS

varieties, in the absence of lodging in the untreated section we do not see a yield benefit.

– In hard red spring and durum varieties a yield

increase was realized even in the absence of lodging

• Smart Phone APP Developed to assist in PGR use. – Download it now on the app store!

Manipulator Trial Results - 2014

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Yield Difference (bu/ac)

Height Difference (inches)

14 ac treated plots vs untreated

CWAD

CPS CWRS

Note the differences in results with between varieties and classes

Manipulator Trial Results - 2016 Spring Wheat Trial: IHARF - Indian Head, SK

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CDC Plentiful CDC Utmost VB AC Carberry AC Strongfield AC Transcend Elgin ND

Untreated

Manipulator

Height (cm)

Untreated Manipulator Difference (cm) % difference

CDC Plentiful 94.9 bc 85.3 ef 9.6 10.6

CDC Utmost VB 93.5 bcd 83 f 10.5 11.9

AC Carberry 86.6 e 76.9 g 9.7 11.9

AC Strongfield 92.5 cd 84.4 ef 8.1 9.2

AC Transcend 100.8 a 92.4 d 8.4 8.7

Elgin ND 95.3 b 86.5 e 8.8 9.7

Height (cm)

Fertility across all treatments :140-38-19-19 Seeding rate: 35 seeds/ft2 Site was hit with hail mid-July resulting in estimated yield losses of 10%

Manipulator Trial Results - 2016 Spring Wheat Trial: IHARF - Indian Head, SK

Grain Yield (bu/ac)

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CDC Plentiful CDC UtmostVB

AC Carberry AC Strongfield AC Transcend Elgin ND

Untreated

Manipulator

Grain yield (bu/ac)

Untreated Manipulator Difference (bu/ac) % difference

CDC Plentiful 46.36 f 58.23 e 11.87 22.7

CDC Utmost VB 62.9 c 71.05 b 8.15 12.2

AC Carberry 57.53 e 62.34 cd 4.81 8.0

AC Strongfield 58.92 de 67.5 b 8.58 13.6

AC Transcend 58.87 de 68.36 b 9.50 14.9

Elgin ND 68.84 b 78.96 a 10.12 13.7

Fertility across all treatments :140-38-19-19 Seeding rate: 35 seeds/ft2 Site was hit with hail mid-July resulting in estimated yield losses of 10%

NOTE the results are significant

Manipulator Trial Results - 2017 Spring Wheat Trial: IHARF - Indian Head, SK

Height (cm)

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CDCPlentiful

AACJatharia VB

AACBrandon

CDCLandmark

VB

AACSpitfire

ACTranscend

Untreated

Manipulator

Height (cm)

Untreated Manipulator Difference % difference

CDC Plentiful 80.1 cde 74.5 gh 5.6 7.0%

AAC Jatharia VB 88.9 a 80.8 cd 8.1 9.1%

AAC Brandon 77.0 efg 73.6 h 3.4 4.4%

CDC Landmark VB 78.2 def 73.0 h 5.2 6.6%

AAC Spitfire 84.0 b 75.5 fgh 8.5 10.1%

AC Transcend 87.4 a 81.9 bc 5.5 6.3%

Fertility across all treatments :140-38-19-19 Seeding rate: 35 seeds/ft2 Site received 5.78 inches of rain throughout the growing season.

Manipulator Trial Results - 2017 Spring Wheat Trial: IHARF - Indian Head, SK

Grain Yield (bu/ac)

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CDCPlentiful

AACJatharia VB

AACBrandon

CDCLandmark

VB

AAC Spitfire ACTranscend

Untreated

Manipulator

Grain Yield (bu/ac)

Untreated Manipulator Difference % difference

CDC Plentiful 58.82 d 65.66 c 6.8 11.6%

AAC Jatharia VB 64.92 c 70.10 b 5.2 8.0%

AAC Brandon 72.23 b 77.93 a 5.7 7.9%

CDC Landmark VB 65.71 c 70.62 b 4.9 7.5%

AAC Spitfire 70.97 b 79.20 a 8.2 11.6%

AC Transcend 69.82 b 77.73 a 7.9 11.3%

Fertility across all treatments :140-38-19-19 Seeding rate: 35 seeds/ft2 Site received 5.78 inches of rain throughout the growing season.

NOTE the results are significant (2017 was a dry year)

Manipulator Height Trends Summary field data 2011 - 2014

*35 trials

CWRS Height Occurrence

Reduction 5% + 95%

10% + 83% 15%+ 53% 20%+ 20%

CPS Height Occurrence

Reduction 5% + 100%

10% + 67% 15%+ 33% 20%+ 8%

*12 trials

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100%

120%

5% + 10% + 15%+ 20%+

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Manipulator Yield Trends Summary field data 2011 - 2014

*12 trials

CWRS Yield Occurrence

Increase 5% + 85%

7.5%+ 63% 10%+ 55%

CPS Yield Occurrence

Increase 5% + 33%

7.5%+ 25% 10%+ 8%

*35 trials

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30%

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60%

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Manipulator Trial Results Combine productivity

Height (cm) Yield (bu/ac)

Location Variety Untreated Manipulator Reduction Untreated Manipulator Increase

Crossfield Harvest 103.9 a 81.3 b 22.0% 110.00 117.70 7.0%

Maps provided by Craig Shand

Manipulator Field Observations: 2011 - 2017

Trials are showing yield results even with no lodging

Trials at flag leaf timing have significant results

In the absence of height reduction, treated crop still prevented lodging – thicker stems

After 7 years and over 100 trials: Results are very consistent in intensively managed fields

Summary

• Manipulator

– Has a unique formulation

– Has a wide application widow

– Works in colder temperatures

– Research results are showing excellent results.

Shorter – Stronger – Better

• Thank you!

• Please call 1-866-613-3336 if you have any questions

• www.engageagro.com

Links to 3rd Party 2015 Research on Manipulator

East Central Research Foundation (Yorkton) Impact of Manipulator on wheat with differing lodging resistance at high rates of N fertility Impact of Manipulator timing and N fertility on wheat lodging and yield www.ecrf.ca

Indian Head Agricultural Research Foundation (Indian Head) Optimal Nitrogen rates for wheat with and without Plant Growth Regulators. http://iharf.ca

Irrigation Crop Diversification Corporation (Outlook) Demonstration of Plant Growth Regulator Application on irrigated wheat production http://irrigationsaskatchewan.com/icdc

Northeast Agriculture Research Foundation (Melfort) Optimal Nitrogen Rate with Plant Growth Regulators and Fungicides for Spring Wheat http://neag.ca/

Wheatland Conservation Area Inc. (Swift Current) Plant Growth Regulators and N Rates in Durum Wheat http://wheatlandconservation.ca/home.html

References

• REFERENCES • • Kende, H, and Zeevaart, J. The Five ‘Classical’ Plant Hormones. The Plant Cell 9.7 (1997): 1197–1210. Print. • • Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development 2008 Lodging of Cereal Crops. (2008, September 10). Retrieved from http://www.agriculture.alberta.ca • • Kurepin, L., Ozga, J., Zaman, M., Pharis, R. 2013. The physiology of plant hormones in cereal, oilseed and pulse crops. Prairie Soils and Crops Journal.

6:7-23 Retrieved from www.prairiesoilsandcrops.ca • • Navabi, A., Iqbal, M., Strenzke, K., and Spaner, D. 2006. The relationship between lodging and plant height in a diverse wheat population. Can J

Plant Sci. 86:723-726 • • Rademacher, W. and Brahm, L. 2010. Plant Growth Regulators. Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry. • • Rademacher, W. 2009. Control of lodging in intense European cereal production. Presented at Plant Growth Regulation Society of America

Conference 2010 pg 61-69. Retrieved from www.pgrsa.org • • Rademacher, W. 2000. Growth Retardants: Effects on gibberellin biosynthesis and other metabolic pathways. Annu. Rev. Plant Physil. Plant Mol.

Biol. 51:501-531 • • Silverstone, A. L., and T. P. Sun. 2000. Gibberellins and the green revolution. Trends Plant Sci. 5:1-2 • • Taiz, L., and Zeiger, E., 2010. Plant physiology.5th ed., International ed. Sunderland, Mass.: Sinauer Associates. • • MANIPULATOR is a registered trademark of Engage Agro Corporation • Always read and follow label directions

UNTREATED MANIPULATOR™

NDVI picture of field shown • The dark green area was the section

treated with MANIPULATOR™ • Dark green means it has a higher yield

potential