Field experiments designed to study the possible uses of plant growth regulators on several different varieties of beans grown under the diverse conditions of southern California had three general objectives: 1, to investigate the possibility of increasing yield of green or dry lima beans, bush or pole snap beans by the application of sprays of plant hormones; 2, to delay the maturity of lima beans grown for the freezing process by spray applications 10 days to two weeks before the expected maturity of the plants; and, 3, prevent the shedding of pods from the early sets of fruit as a result of adverse weather conditions. Test plots were established, beginning in 1949, in the bean growing regions of Ventura, Orange and San Diego counties during all seasons of the year where beans were grown in commercial quantities.