Growth regulators and show substantial overlap in the developmental processes that they affect. Mutants deficient in either BRs or GAs 522606-67-3 exhibit dwarfism in skoto- and photomorphogenesis, reduced seed germination, and delayed flowering. On the other hand, GAs and BRs can also have opposite functions as exhibited by their effects on sex determination in maize. A number of triazole compounds have been shown to inhibit cytochrome P450 enzymes, which are key components of both, GA as well as BR biosynthesis. Uniconazole and brassinazole are two of the classical inhibitors shown to interact with CYP701 of the GA and CYP90B1 of the BR biosynthetic pathways, respectively. Although well characterized in the model plant FD&C Blue No. 1 distributor Arabidopsis thaliana, comprehensive understanding of the biological function of BRs in agronomical crops such as maize is still lacking. One of the limitations that have hindered research progress is availability and cost of some of the PGRs. While Ucz and GA are easily accessible and found use in horticultural greenhouse production. cost and availability of both Brz and brassinolide greatly restrict their use to study BR function in agronomic species. Propiconazole was recently characterized in Arabidopsis and maize as an alternative BR inhibitor. Not only does Pcz act as a potent and more specific BR inhibitor than Brz, but better accessibility and drastically reduced cost alleviates the major limitations of Brz for the use with larger plants. Pcz is a major fungicide for treatment of dollar spot disease in turf grasses on golf courses and sod farms. It is also registered for use as fungicide in maize. Global sales of Pcz exceeded and its use is predicted to rise due to increased global sales for fungicides in the coming years. The fungicidal effect of Pcz is based on its ability to suppress the biosynthesis of ergosterol, which is an essential sterol component of the fungal cell membrane. Pcz binds to the heme group of 14a-demethylase cytochrome P450 enzymes via its azole ring, which results in inactivation of the ergosterol biosynthesis in fungi and subsequent cell death. Cytochrome P450 enzymes are also involved in important steps of the BR biosynthesis in plants. Asami showed that triazole derivatives with BR inhibitor activity, related to Pcz, are able to bind and inhibit the rate-limiting step of the BR biosynthesis, the steroid 22-hydroxylase cytochrome P450 enzyme DWF4. Plant growth experiments often require the use of various growth media substrates to control for water retaining potential, nutrient availability, and anchoring of roots in the media. Murashige and Skoog agar-based media was developed for tobacco as a suitable substrate that allows rapid growth and shows minimal side effects on bioassays and chemical treatment
