Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Anti-transpirants are chemical compounds applied to plant foliage to reduce water loss through transpiration.
They help prevent moisture stress in crops during dry spells and are classified into four main groups:
Stomatal closing type
Film-forming type
Reflectance type
Growth retardants
Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze the anti-transpirants listed in the options:
- Film-forming anti-transpirants: These chemicals form a thin, colorless, physical barrier over the leaf surface.
This barrier is permeable to gases like oxygen and carbon dioxide but limits the escape of water vapor, reducing transpirational loss.
Common examples include Mobileaf, Folicot, Hexadecanol, silicone emulsions, and low-viscosity waxes.
Thus, Mobileaf, Hexadecanol, and Folicot are all film-forming anti-transpirants.
- CaHCO\(_3\): Calcium bicarbonate (or related bicarbonate salts) does not possess the physical or chemical properties required to form a thin, elastic film over the foliage.
Instead, salts are occasionally used as osmotic adjusters or are simply inactive in transpiration control.
Step 2: Final Answer:
Calcium bicarbonate (CaHCO\(_3\)) is not a film-forming type of anti-transpirant.