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To evaluate the effects of two growth retardants on the growth and flowering of potted gerbera (Gerbera jamesonii), `Parade´ gerberas were treated with α-cyclopropyl-α-(4-methoxyphenyl)-5-pyrimidinemethanol (ancymidol) or β-[(4-chlorophenyl)methyl]-α-(l,1-dimethylethyl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole-l-ethanol (paclobutrazol) at rates of 0.25, 0.5, or 1.0 ㎎ a.i./pot as a soil drench. Both growth retardants significantly reduced peduncle length, foliage height and width, leaf area, fresh weight, and dry weight of gerbera, and markedly increased leaf thickness and chlorophyll content, but had no effect on number of days to flowering, number of leaves, and fresh weight of roots. Ancymidol and paclobutrazol retarded the longitudinal growth of peduncle cells and resulted in short peduncle length. Although both retardants could be used to reduce plant height of gerbera, paclobutrazol was more effective than ancymidol. The compact gerberas adequate for pot plants could be produced by single drench applications of ancymidol at 1.0 ㎎/pot or paclobutrazol at 0. 25-0.5 ㎎/pot.
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