Abstract: This invention relates to the use of a specific chemical compound, 1-triacontanol (CH.sub.3 (CH.sub.2).sub.28 CH.sub.2 OH) as a growth regulator for plants. Triacontanol acts as a growth stimulant on a wide range of plants to increase dry weight gains, water uptake, water use efficiency and protein synthesis in treated plants. Triacontanol can be applied in different ways with equal efficiency, either e.g., as a foliar spray, as a soil drench, as a side dressing or as a part of an insecticide or fertilizer application, etc. Surprisingly, it has been found that triacontanol treated plants grown in the dark increased in leaf area and in dry weight and the treated plants continued synthesizing protein.