The Impacts of Plant Hormones on the Growth and Quality of Sprouts

Sprouts, as an edible vegetable with rich nutrients and health care efficacy, have been increasingly favored by people in recent years. Plant hormones are intrinsic mediators of plant growth and development. The impacts of plant hormone treatment on the growth and quality of sprouts were summarized, and the potential mechanisms were briefly discussed. Moreover, this review explored prospective applications and investigations to promote the sprouts industry. Proper plant hormone treatment could promote the seed germination rate, hypocotyl growth, and fresh weight of sprouts. Meantime, appropriate plant hormone treatment could enhance the bioactive compound contents (such as total phenolic, pigments, and vitamins), antioxidant capacity, and anti-adipogenic and anti-diabetic activities of sprouts. Furthermore, hormones could delay the discoloration progress and promote the antioxidant capacity in sprouts, thus maintaining the postharvest quality. Although the impact of hormones on sprout quality is mainly dependent on the kind, dose, and treatment method of the hormone, the sprout species and cultivars, the growth phase, environmental factors, and others, plant hormone treatment is still a practical and prospective strategy in sprout industry to produce sprouts with enhanced growth and quality.