Auxin in Isolated Roots Growing in vitro

Abstract

Up to the year 1933 opinion was divided as to whether or not auxin is present in the root. In this year Boysen-Jensen [1] conclusively demonstrated that auxin is present in the normal root. With respect to the isolated root, however, Fiedler [2] has reported that auxin, although initially present, disappears completely and in general within 24 hours, when the root is cultivated in vitro. Nagao [3] on the other hand, has shown that auxin may be recovered from isolated roots after 6 days' cultivation in vitro. The object of the present work has been primarily to establish, with the aid of improved techniques, whether or not auxin is actually present in isolated roots cultivated in vitro. A second but related problem of whether or not auxin is produced by such roots will be dealt with in a later communication although experiments of a preliminary nature indicate that it is not produced but is merely carried along in the tip of the isolated root.