What is a potential outcome of using fertilizers in combination with growth regulators?

Using fertilizers in combination with growth regulators can lead to improved shade tolerance in plants. This occurs because fertilizers provide essential nutrients that promote healthy growth, enhancing the overall vigor of the plant. Growth regulators, on the other hand, modify the growth patterns of plants, allowing them to adapt better to varying light conditions, particularly in shaded environments.

When plants are well-fed with fertilizers, they can develop stronger root systems and enhance their foliage, which helps them capture and utilize the available light more efficiently. The synergistic effect of nutrients and growth regulators can also encourage a more compact growth habit, allowing plants to thrive in competition with other vegetation for sunlight, thus contributing to better shade tolerance.

The other outcomes, while they may seem plausible, do not directly stem from the combination of fertilizers and growth regulators in the same way that improved shade tolerance does. They involve different physiological responses that may not occur simultaneously or in conjunction with the presence of both fertilizers and growth regulators.